Tea can impart some glorious flavours to basic foods. In her book Tea — A Global History (Reaktion Books £9.99) Helen Saberi includes several delicious recipes that call for tea as the main flavouring.

These include green tea ice cream, lemon and rose tea jelly and Chinese tea eggs with their attractive pattern of fine cracks normally reserved for ceramics.

YOU WILL NEED

  • 12 free-range eggs
  • 1 tspn salt 3 tbspn light or dark soy sauce
  • Two star anise
  • 1 tspn five-spice powder
  • 3 tbspns black China tea leaves.

METHOD Hard boil the eggs for six to eight minutes.

Drain, and cool immediately by immersing in cold water. (This prevents the eggs developing discolouration around the yolk when cut open.)

Drain and then roll the eggs gently on a hard surface until the shell cracks finely all over, but do not peel.

Put the eggs back into the saucepan, cover with fresh water, add the salt, soy sauce, spices and tea leaves.

Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about one hour.

Allow the eggs to cool in the liquid.

Shell the eggs to reveal a beautiful marbled pattern and serve.