“Esther? Do you know when we got these eggs?” Sura asked, backing out of the refrigerator. “Are they the same ones you brought to the house from your last apartment?”

“I think so,” Esther replied. “I don’t remember anybody else getting new eggs, anyway.”

“Do you think they’re still good? Should we throw them out?” Sura asked, worried.

“Let’s check!” Esther said. “Here, take them out, and I’ll get a glass of water.”

“What for?” Sura asked with confusion as she reopened the fridge and grabbed the half-full carton. “Are you thirsty?”

Esther laughed. “No, it’s not for me – it’s to check the eggs! It’s a trick my auntie taught me. You drop a raw egg in water, and if it sinks it’s still good!”

Sura opened up the carton and cautiously placed one egg in the glass Esther sat out. Looking at the side, she asked, “What if it’s kind of standing on its end? Is it still OK?”

Esther looked at the other side and said, “Yes, if it’s floating a little bit that’s fine – the egg is only bad if it’s floating all the way at the top. This one is still at the bottom, since it’s only floating a little bit. It should get eaten up right away, though!”

“If they’re getting old, I’ll just hard boil them all and give them a nice marinade,” Sura said. “There’s a recipe I’ve been wanting to try – it’s like Japanese ramen eggs, but you put tea in the marinade. I can even put in some good Persian spices to make it a kind of fusion dish. They come out all marbled, which will look great in a bento!”

“Marinated eggs sound fantastic,” Esther said. “And definitely go with the spices! I think it would be really cool to start making Persian-fusion recipes for your bentos. That would really set your Insta apart!”

Persian-Fushion Tea Eggs

• 6 eggs
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tsp (alcohol-free) sake
• 2 tsp (alcohol-free) mirin
• 4 c water
• 1 star anise
• ½ cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ tsp cumin seed
• ¼ tsp whole black peppercorns
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 4 cloves
• 1 tbsp looseleaf black tea (optional: rose congou tea)

1. Combine all ingredients except the eggs in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let infuse for 10 minutes. Take off the heat and let cool to room temperature.
2. In a second pot, bring water to boil, then gently place eggs in water. Lower heat until gently boiling, and cook for desired length. 5 min = soft boiled, 7 min = just set yolk, 10 min = just hard boiled. 
3. Remove eggs from boiling water and plunge in an ice bath to halt cooking. 
4. When eggs are cooled, crack each one with a spoon. Make sure to cover the entire surface with cracks. DO NOT remove shells.
5. Strain marinade and combine with the eggs. Let marinate at least 24 hours before eating.