Savory Chinese Snack Cracked Shell: Ultimate Guide

Chinese snacks with cracked shells are very popular among the Chinese. Chinese tea egg is one of the savory Chinese snack with a cracked shell. The charm of tea eggs lies in their unique flavor and rich nutrition. When boiling tea eggs, the flavor of tea leaves and spices slowly spreads, so every bite is a pleasure. This article introduces what a tasty Chinese snack with a cracked shell is and how to make tea eggs.

What is a Savory Chinese Snack with a Cracked Shell?

Savory Chinese snake cracked shell usually refers to a type of Chinese cuisine that has been cooked or stir-fried, which causes the shell to crack open and enhance the flavor of the snake. The main ingredients of these kinds of Chinese snacks are nuts, seeds, or eggs.

When it comes to savory Chinese snacks with a cracked shell, the most common ones are Chinese tea eggs, salt-baked quail eggs, roasted melon seeds, sunflower seeds, and roasted chestnuts. In addition to being eaten as a daily snack, nuts are essential Chinese New Year snacks. In the Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival, families and friends often get together to taste these snacks and chat together.

The tea egg is a classic choice for a Chinese breakfast or street food. Stroll through the bustling streets and you'll see tea eggs sitting in a large pot and soaking in dark and rich soaking liquid. The most striking feature of Chinese tea eggs is their beautiful marble lines. These lines are formed when tea and spices penetrate into the egg white through cracks in the eggshell during cooking.

A Brief History of Chinese Cracked Shell Snacks

The history of tea eggs cannot be accurately traced, but it gradually developed with the popularity of tea and eggs in China. You can find a simple Chinese tea egg recipe from Yuan Mei, a well-known poet and foodie of the Qing Dynasty, in his book "Suiyuan Shidan随园食单". It is called Recipes from the Garden of Contentment in English.

As Yuan Mei wrote in the book, you can make tea eggs using a hundred eggs, one liang of salt, and coarse tea leaves. The boiling time is the burning time of two incense sticks. If there are only fifty eggs, cook them with five qian of salt. Add or decrease ingredients depending on the number of eggs.

Tea has a history of thousands of years in China. According to legend, the legendary Chinese Emperor Shennong discovered tea in 2737 BC. Later, with the spread of tea culture, drinking tea became common and popular in China's daily life. The development of tea culture has formed a unique Chinese tea ceremony and art. Tea also has a variety of benefits and effects. For example, caffeine in tea can refresh the mind. Drinking tea can help reduce the risk of heart disease, cardiovascular disease, and many other diseases.

Ingredients That Make Chinese Tea Eggs

Spices such as star anise, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves add to the aroma. Ginger is mainly used to remove fishy smell. Dark soy sauce can make the color of shell and egg marble lines darker. It doesn't matter if you don't add dark soy sauce.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Chinese Tea Eggs

1. Boil eggs in cold water.

Wash the eggs thoroughly and put them in the pot. Add water and cover all the eggs. Cook the eggs. Heat over medium heat until the water boils. Continue boiling for 8 minutes until the eggs are completely cooked. Scoop out the boiled eggs and rinse or cool them in cold water.

2. Gently crack the eggshell.

Gently tap the boiled egg with a spoon or on a hard table to crack the shell evenly. The taste of tea and spices will penetrate through these small cracks, making the flavor of eggs more intense.

3. Prepare the marinade soup.

Add enough water, tea leaves, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, and other spices to cook until fragrant. Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, salt, and sugar to stir well. Bring to a boil on medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes to combine the flavors.

4. Add eggs to the marinade soup and cook.

Put the cracked eggs into the marinade soup. Boil on low or medium heat for 20-30 minutes and keep the water slightly boiling. The marinade soup will gradually decrease as it cooks. Gently flip the eggs with a spoon a few times to ensure each egg absorbs the flavor of the soup.

5. Soak eggs in marinade soup.

Do not rush to take out the eggs. Leave the eggs in the marinade soup to soak for at least 2-3 hours. It is best to soak overnight, as this will enhance the flavor. Soaking eggs allows the eggs to fully absorb the aroma of tea and spices.

6. Taste it.

After soaking, take out the eggs, peel off the shells, and serve.

Tips for Making Chinese Tea Eggs

1. The choice of tea is very important, usually black tea is chosen. Black tea has a rich aroma and no bitterness. The bright red color of black tea soup can also make tea egg look better. Oolong tea is also acceptable. It is best not to use green tea, especially for beginners, because green tea has a slightly bitter taste over time.

2. When boiling eggs, use low or medium heat to cook which can avoid the eggshell being broken. Cooking eggs in cold water is the key to boiling eggs without breaking their shells. Putting a spoonful of salt in the water is also useful.

3. Star anise, cinnamon, and other spices can be wrapped in clean gauze so that the marinade soup is clearer.

4. You don't need to cook the tea eggs for a long time. The intensity of the flavor depends on soaking. Therefore, when boiling the tea eggs, the water must be enough, so that the egg can be fully colored and soaked. To always soak tea eggs in the soup, you can use a larger pot to cook them, and then use a smaller container when soaking them.

5. When soaking tea eggs, you can put the tea eggs in the refrigerator together with the marinade soup, so that the soaking effect is better. Heat again before eating. However, it should not be stored for too long.

Why Chinese People Love Chinese Snack with Cracked Shell

1. Taste. The cracks on the surface of Chinese snack with cracked shells such as Chinese tea eggs, peanuts, melon seeds, etc. allow marinade soup to penetrate better into the interior, making the taste of Chinese snacks more fragrant.

2. Easy to eat. Savory Chinese snack cracked shell is easy to peel off. They are usually packaged simply and easy to carry and store.

3. Health and nutrition. Nuts are generally nutritious and rich in protein, oil, minerals, vitamins, and more.

4. Cultural attributes. In Chinese tradition, many Chinese snacks are endowed with festive meanings. These delicious snacks are essential for festivals, weddings, family gatherings, and other occasions.

5. Cheap price. The common savory Chinese snack cracked shell is affordable and suitable for all levels of consumers. For example, each Chinese tea egg is usually priced at 2 to 3 yuan at breakfast places or convenience stores.

Exploring Other Savory Chinese Snacks

1. Potstickers

Potsticker is a kind of fried dumpling food. It is usually filled with pork and vegetables, and wrapped in a thin piece of dough. The bottom of the potstickers is usually fried golden brown and crispy.

2. Stinky tofu

Changsha's black stinky tofu is especially famous. Changsha stinky tofu is a fermented bean product. It smells bad but tastes fragrant.

3. Jianbing guozi

Jianbing guozi (Chinese crepes) is a classic snack in Tianjin, made from mung bean flour, egg, youtiao (fried dough sticks), and crackers.

4. Dried shredded squid

Dried shredded squid is a snack made of squid or cuttlefish, which has a strong and chewy taste.

Taste Authentic Chinese Foods

Food is an important part of Chinese people's daily life with cultural significance. Except for the savory snacks with cracked shells, there are numerous tasty Chinese cuisines and snacks in China, waiting for you to experience in person. Our specially designed China food tours will take you to explore China culture along with different flavors and local dishes in each city. 

Consider the China food tours above as inspiration. If you are not interested in them, just tell us your ideas, and we will customize a fully personalized China tour for you.

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