Serves
4-6
Teas eggs are so important in Chinese culture. My fondness for eggs coupled with the love of my heritage inspired me to create this as a special tapas-style dish with a uniquely modern spin.
INGREDIENTS
- 4 large whole eggs
- 60 g orange or black tobiko (flying fish caviar)
- 1 clove star anise
- 2 sticks cinnamon
- 4 black tea bags
- 2 cups soya sauce/ tamari
- 4 cups water
- 2 tsp sugar
- 20 g pea shoots for garnish
METHOD
- In a medium pot, fill with water and bring to a boil. Once water is boiling add eggs gently to the pot and cook for 8 minutes maximum.
- Remove eggs immediately and run under cold water.
- Soak eggs in the cold water bath until they have completely cooled.
- Once cooled, using the back of a teaspoon, gently crack the surfaces of the eggs.
- Do not crack and remove eggshells.
- Using the back of the spoon in a tapping motion, create a web of cracks but keep the eggshells/eggs fully intact.
- Leave off to the side.
- In a medium pot on medium-high, add soya sauce/tamari to water and bring up to a quick boil.
- Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer.
- Add anise, cinnamon sticks, tea bags and sugar.
- All mixture to simmer and steep for 20-25 minutes on low heat.
- Turn off the heat, add eggs.
- Let solution with eggs stand for 20-30 minutes or until cooled.
- Cover and let it marinate and steep in the fridge overnight.
- The next day, strain and remove eggs from the solution and drain.
- Remove shells slowly and plate on top of pea shoots like a green nest base.
- With a demitasse spoon, garnish the top of the egg with tobiko.