Soy Egg

Eggs peeled before they go into the braise, so the colour is even and the white takes the liquid directly.

Egg. Vegetarian, but not vegan — contains egg.

Ingredients

• 8 eggs
• 100 ml dark soy sauce
• 60 ml light soy sauce
• 40 g rock sugar
• 2 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 slices ginger
• 2 spring onions
• 600 ml water
• 30 ml Shaoxing wine

Method

1. THESE ARE PEELED BEFORE THEY GO IN, and that is the whole difference from an egg steeped in its cracked shell. The white meets the liquid directly, takes the colour evenly all over and goes a deep uniform brown, and it takes hours rather than a day. There is no marbling and there is not meant to be.
2. AND THE BRAISE NEVER SIMMERS WITH THE EGGS IN IT. A white held at a simmer in salty liquid tightens to rubber within about fifteen minutes, and no resting afterwards softens it again. The liquid is simmered first, taken off, and the eggs go into it hot but still.
3. Eggs into cold water, brought to the boil, then 8 minutes at a gentle simmer for a fully set yolk that will survive the steeping. For a yolk still slightly soft in the middle, 7.
4. Straight into iced water for 5 minutes. The shock is what makes them peel cleanly; left to cool slowly, the membrane grips and the whites tear.
5. Peeled under a running tap, starting at the fat end where the air pocket is.
6. Everything else into a pan and brought to the boil, then simmered 10 minutes with the lid off so the spices open and the wine cooks off.
7. HEAT OFF. Let it stop bubbling, then lower the eggs in. They should be covered; if not, top up with water and a splash more dark soy.
8. Cooled to room temperature, then covered and into the fridge at least 6 hours and up to 2 days. Turn them once or twice -- the top of an egg sitting proud of the liquid stays pale.
9. They darken the whole time they sit, so pull one out and cut it to judge. At 6 hours the colour is in the white and not much deeper; at 24 it has reached the yolk.
10. Halved and served at room temperature, or whole on top of noodles or rice. The liquid can be boiled, cooled and used twice more.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under China · All recipes