Chinese Tea Eggs

Instructions

1. Hard-boil the eggs
   Place eggs in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Create the marbling effect
   Once eggs are cool enough to handle, gently tap each egg with the back of a spoon to create cracks all over the shell, keeping the shell intact. The more cracks, the more intricate the marble pattern will be.
3. Prepare the tea mixture
   In a pot, combine water, tea leaves, both soy sauces, star anise, cinnamon stick, Sichuan peppercorns, cloves, sugar, bay leaves, and dried orange peel if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
4. Simmer the eggs
   Return the cracked eggs to the pot with the tea mixture. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even coloring.
5. Steep for flavor
   Turn off the heat and allow the eggs to steep in the mixture for at least 2 hours. For a stronger flavor and deeper color, steep overnight in the refrigerator.
6. Peel and serve
   Remove eggs from the tea mixture and gently peel away the shells to reveal the beautiful marbled pattern. Slice in half or serve whole as a snack or side dish.