Thai Pickled Eggs – Black Tea Eggs

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 10 large eggs
• 2 tea bags, black
• 4 pieces star anise, whole
• ½ cup soy sauce, dark
• 10 cup(s) water (or more, the eggs must be covered in the broth)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp Five Spices seasoning mix
• possibly ginger, cook fresh

Instructions

Working time approx. 10 minutes; Rest time approx. 2 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 3 hours 10 minutes

Gai yau ma

Wash the eggs and boil them hard as usual (10 minutes). Remove them from the bowl and rinse them in very cold water, ideally ice water. Peel the eggs. Put the water in a pot with all the spices and the tea and bring to a boil. Carefully add the eggs to the pot and simmer over very low heat for 1 hour. Remove the pot from the heat and let the eggs cool slowly in the liquid. After about 2 hours they are ready to serve. In Thailand they are served with many dishes (1 egg per person). Can be served with baked rice, chicken curry, pig’s feet or in wedges as a garnish with coriander. If you like you can add strips of ginger to the liquid (to taste). Europeans also eat the eggs as finger food with beer.