Tea Leaf Eggs

Chinese tea leaf eggs are so easy to make at home.  Eggs were on sale so I decided to make a batch of slowly simmered flavored eggs to share them with my family.  My kitchen was filled with a wonderful aroma of spices after cooking them in slow cooker for 2-3 hours.

Tea Leaf Eggs

Adapted from here and there

Ingredients:

6-8 large eggs

2 T loose black tea leaves or 2 black tea leaves bags

2 star anise

1 cinnamon stick

2-3 cloves

1 tsp five spice powder

1 tsp sugar 

4 tbsp soy sauce 

Roughly 2 cups water

Directions:

1.  Prepare hard boiled eggs in a saucepan.

2.  Carefully tap the eggshells with the back of a spoon to let the flavors seep through the eggs and to create a marbled like appearance when cooked.

3.  Arrange eggs in one layer at the bottom of the slow cooker then add just enough water to cover the eggs along with the rest of the ingredients.  Set the slow cooker on high and let simmer for about 2-3 hours. 

You can cut the eggs in half and serve it with the brew or eat as is.  Enjoy

Dan Dan Noodles

After one year since my unsuccessful attempt at making dan dan noodles, I decided to give it another try.  Dan Dan Noodles  (担担面) is a Chinese Sichuan dish consisting of a spicy sauce with minced pork and preserved vegetables served over noodles.  All the recipes I found were so different so I just adapted to several recipes into one.  This home-made version satisfied my dan dan noodle cravings for now. 


Dan Dan Noodles  
Serves 4

Ingredients:

Cooking oil
1 lb. ground pork
1/2 T low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp Shaoxing rice wine
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 onion, diced
3 T garlic, minced
2 T ginger, minced
2 T peanut butter
1 1/2 T light soy sauce
1/2 T dark soy sauce
2 T chili oil
1 T Sichuan peppercorns (toasted & ground)
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound noodles

Garnish:
Crushed roasted peanuts
Chopped green onions

Directions:
1. Mix pork, soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil.  Set aside and let marinade for 15 minutes.
2. Heat a large wok or skillet on medium high heat. Add oil and brown until no longer pink then set aside.
3. Return wok to heat, add oil and saute onions until tender.
4. Add the garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant.
5. Add the peanut butter, soy sauce, chili oil, chili sauce, sesame oil, Sichuan peppercorns and chicken stock and simmer for 5-7 minutes.
6. Add the pork and remove from the heat.
7. Prepare the noodles according to package instructions. Place noodles on a plate and pour some of the pork  mixture over the noodles.
8. Garnish with chopped peanuts and green onions, and serve.

Sources:
Closet Cooking
World Foodie Guide
Smoky Wok
Appetite for China