I promised you my Chinese braised soy sauce eggs recipe (滷蛋) in the Taiwanese scallion oil noodles (葱油拌面) post, so here you go.
This is a super easy recipe, and the best thing is that you can save the braising soy sauce stock (滷水汁) in the fridge and re-use it again to make the eggs or even tofu (bean curd).
I usually use the stock for 2-3 times before I discard it. As many Chinese cooks or chefs would tell you, the flavor of the braising stock develops as time goes by…some restaurants just keep using their stock for as long as they stay in the business (I kid you not!)…
One ingredient that I like to add to my braising stock is a spice tea bag used for braising a variety of foods—chicken, pork, beef, peanuts, seaweed, tofu, etc.
It’s available at Asian stores and they are cheap and handy. It’s optional but a tea bag of the spice adds to the aroma and overall flavor.
To make perfect hard-boiled eggs, please refer to this kitchen tip by Good Life Eats.
Chinese Braised Soy Sauce Eggs Recipe
Chinese Braised Soy Sauce Eggs (滷蛋): Super easy recipe, you can save the braising soy sauce stock (滷水汁) in the fridge & re-use it for eggs or tofu.
Ingredients
- 6-12 hard-boiled eggs
- 4 cups water
- 2 - 2 1/2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 3 star anise
- 1 spiced tea bag, 汉宫滷包, (optional)
- salt to taste
Instructions
-
Prepare the hard-boiled eggs. Peeled off the shell and set aside.
-
Heat up the water in a pot and bring it to boil. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the eggs) into the pot. Lower the heat to medium and boil for about 15-20 minutes, or until the stock is reduced and infused with the aroma of the star anise, cinnamon, and also the spice tea bag. Add the eggs into the stock and let steep in the stock for a few hours, you can lower the heat to simmer if you like. For the best result, leave the eggs in the braising stock overnight to further develop the flavor.
Recipe Notes
Dark soy sauce doesn't have much flavor, it's used to add color to the food. The amount you use depends how dark you want your eggs to be. I like it darker.
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Chantz
If the dark soy sauce is just for color can it be substituted with more regular soy sauce?
Rasa Malaysia
Yes for color. Eggs won’t be dark if not using, but you can certainly skip.
Leah
Hi, can i add chicken wings to this recipe?
Rasa Malaysia
Yes sure!
Lauren
Hello – these look wonderful however the link for the spice tea pack no longer works. Is there an alternate link you could reply with?
John
Man those eggs look smooth as balls
Kimberly
Must we boil the egg first. Can I not put the raw egg in the braise liquid?
Eug
Hi, i tried the receipe. However i have left over broth/stock/seasoning. how should i keep it so that i can reuse them again?
HeatherTwist
I saw a recipe similar to this some time ago, called “Chinese Tea Eggs”. One difference … they left the shells on the eggs, but cracked them all around the outside with a spoon. Then when they boil in the tea, they get this great pattern. When I made them though I didn’t boil them … I just put the eggs in a jar with the cracked shells, poured the soy sauce tea mixture over them, and let them set in the refrigerator overnight. Actually a few days, as I ate them. I just peeled them before eating.
corrin
hi rasa — great recipe! i just made these last night and i have couple questions.
do you leave the spice tea bag in the braising liquid the whole time? and where do you leave the eggs / liquid overnight? i put them in the refrigerator last night…do you leave yours on the stove or in the fridge?
thanks!
Rasa Malaysia
Yes. Stove top.
corrin
thanks rasa! i’ll leave them on the stove next time.
how do you get the flavor deeper in the egg? i had my eggs soaking all night (with the tea bag in the fridge), and the flavor got pretty deep into the whites, but not quite to the yolk.
jonie
hi,
not sure if you are still reading this comment page.
can you recommend the dark soy sauce you used in this recipe. I like my braised egg to be darker but my dark soy sauce doesn’t give me that dark look. I am currently using the brand “Pearl River Bridge” but hope you would recommend other dark soy sauce.
thanks.
/jonie
Kristie
Hi, just a question, can I put both eggs and beancurd together in the liquid? And for how long before I turn off the fire? Tnx ;)
Candee
Hi! What exactly is spiced tea bag?
Rasa Malaysia
Check the picture of the spiced tea bag. It’s made of several spices for braising purposes.
Tastes of Home (Jen)
yummy! Love braised eggs, goes with so many rice and noodles. Gong Xi Fa Cai!
Cat @ ButteryBakery
How long can you keep the egg in the broth for? Up to a week?
Rasa Malaysia
A couple of days in the fridge.
Simon
using their stock for as long as they are in business? doesn’t that pose threat to people’s health?. However, stock tend to become richer and tastier the longer it simmers.
Lisa
I always love eating hardboiled eggs with kicap manis… and was introduced to this dish by my husband… and love it eversince.
My kids’ favourite too… braised chicken and eggs… :)
Linda
Never had these, so are the shells left on the eggs until eating?
Rasa Malaysia
Oops, forgot about the step in the recipe. No, the shells are peeled off before steeping in the soy sauce mixture.
Latanya
thanks for sharing. my husband and i love these. i can’t wait to make them.
Nelly
thank you thank you! i’ll make it for CNY next week :)
Laura
Nice..I was just craving braised soy sauce eggs :) Good timing.
Melanie
I love braised pork and eggs so I’m sure I’ll love this recipe too… can’t wait to try it!
Rina
Over-cooked hard boiled eggs don’t bother me as I hate it when the egg yolk is not quite set. For this recipe, I think it’s hard not to overcook the eggs since they’re steeped in the stock.