Marbled Tea Eggs

Instructions

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1. 1 In a medium pot, combine light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, water, brown sugar, ginger, galangal, fennel seeds, cloves, star anise, and cassia bark. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to low and simmer until deeply infused with the fragrance of the spices and aromatics, about 20 minutes.
2. 2 Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain liquid into a heatproof container or bowl. Add tea leaves and let steep until leaves unfurl and liquid is aromatic, about 15 minutes. (If using black or oolong tea, add tea leaves immediately. If using a more delicate tea, such as jasmine, let liquid cool slightly to 158 to 176°F/70 to 80°C before adding tea.)
3. 3 Meanwhile, set up an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Using a slotted spoon or strainer, gently lower eggs into water and cook to your desired doneness: 6 minutes for soft-boiled, 7 minutes for jammy yolks, or 11 minutes for hard-boiled eggs. Using slotted spoon or strainer, remove eggs and immediately place in ice bath. Allow eggs to cool for at least 15 minutes.
4. 4 Using the back of a spoon, firmly tap eggshells all over to form defined cracks. (There should be cracks but the eggshell should still be in one piece.) Place eggs in tea mixture, cover with a lid or plastic wrap, and refrigerate until the eggs have developed a distinct marbled appearance and are well seasoned, about 24 hours. Let eggs sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.