Home > Telur Pindang (Javanese Stewed Hard Boiled Egg)

Telur Pindang (Javanese Stewed Hard Boiled Egg)

Posting Date: 10/15/18

Telur Pindang (Javanese Stewed Hard Boiled Egg) originated in Java but it can also be found in Sumatra. Malaysians also has this dish. Telur Pindang is similar to Chinese tea eggs. However, instead of using tea leaves, telur pindang uses guava and teak leaves in addition to shallot skins. Those leaves are used to color the eggs. The method also preserves the eggs longer than just regular hard boiled eggs.

To make telur pindang, the eggs are boiled with some spices until they are almost fully cooked. The eggs are then taken out and the shells are cracked (not peeled) so that the spices can penetrate the shell and color them. The eggs are then put back in the same pot and cooked further so that the spices can color the inside of the eggs. The resulting eggs look like a marble. Even though it may sound complicated to make it, it is actually fairly easy to make. You just need a pot to make it.

Telur Pindang is normally served with steamed rice, yellow rice, or compressed rice (lontong). It is also served with other main dishes, such as Rendang (Beef Rendang), Ayam Goreng (Fried Chicken), etc. If it is served with lontong, it is normally part of the dish called Lontong Cap Go Meh.

Because it is difficult to find teak and guava leaves outside Indonesia, I use 2 bags of black tea instead. The taste is still similar to using teak and guava leaves.

The recipe makes 5 hard boiled eggs. Since it is served with other dishes, the recipe is enough to serve 5 people.

Ingredients:

5 large eggs
700 ml water
3 small size or 1 large size shallot, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 lemongrass, white part only. Smash the white part with the back of the knife to release the oil.
4 kaffir lime leaves. If you cannot find them, use 1 teaspoon lime zest.
2 bags of black tea
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon salt

Methods:

Place all the ingredients in a small pot. Make sure the eggs are completely submerged in water. If not, add a little bit more water so that they are completely submerged.
Stir the water to mix the spices. Heat the pot on the stove over high heat. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium high. Continue cooking the eggs for 6 min. After 6 min, remove the eggs using a slotted spoon. Leave the liquid and spices in the pot because they will be used to cook the eggs again.
Rinse the eggs with cold water to cool them down so that you can easily work with them.
Using the back of a spoon, tap the egg shell gently so that it will crack. Make sure you do not peel the shells. Crack all over the surface of the egg shell. The crack will give the pattern on the hard boiled egg once you are done cooking it. That's why you want to make sure you crack the egg shell all over the surface. Repeat this step for the remaining eggs.
Put the eggs back in the same pot that has the liquid and spices. Heat the pot over medium high heat. Cook the eggs until the liquid in the pot has decreased by at least a third. This will allow the liquid and spices to color the eggs. Remove the pot from the heat.
Remove the eggs from the pot. Rinse them with cold water so that it will be easier to handle. Under running cold water from the tap, peel off the egg shell. Doing it under running cold water will make it easier to remove the shell.
Serve the eggs with rice and other dishes of your choice.

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