Chinese Tea Leaf Eggs

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One of my favorite dishes combines hard-boiled eggs with the subtle flavor of anise and the deep brown hues of black tea and soy. The cracked patterns from the broken shells make these quite attractive! I eat these sliced in quarters and chilled as a side dish, appetizer, or snack.

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Steps

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In a large saucepan , combine eggs and 1 teaspoon salt.

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Cover with cold water.

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Bring to a boil , reduce heat , and simmer for 20 minutes.

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Remove from heat , drain , and cool.

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When cool , tap eggs with the back of a spoon to crack shells.

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In a large saucepan , combine 3 cups water , soy sauce , black soy sauce , salt , tea leaves , star anise , cinnamon stick , and tangerine zest.

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Bring to a boil , then reduce heat , cover , and simmer for 3 hours.

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Remove from heat , add eggs , and let steep for at least 8 hours.

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Ingredients

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eggs, salt, water, soy sauce, black soy sauce, black tea leaves, star anise, cinnamon stick, tangerine zest