CNY SNACKS

Ingredients for Tea Eggs:
18 eggs (washed)
2 anise pods with seeds
2 tablespoons five-spice powder
Chinese black tea leaves
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
salt to taste
A slow-cooker

Method:
Fill a large stock pot with water and place all the eggs into it, place over high heat to cook until the eggs are hard-boiled.
Remove eggs from the pot and set them aside to cool down.
After they have cooled, gently crack the shells with a spoon ( all over ). This will allow the tea concoction to penetrate into the eggs.
I reuse the same hot water in the stock pot to infuse the ingredients by heating it up again and let boil for 20 minutes or so just to make sure that all the essence has been imparted into the water.
Pour the water from the stock pot into the slow-cooker and gently add in the eggs. Turn the cooker onto High. When it has started to boil, turn the heat to medium and leave to slow cook for 8 hours or overnight.
Traditionally, I leave the eggs in the slow-cooker and heat it up to boil once every day so that it will not go bad. But,if the eggs are being scoffed up fast, it is best to store the eggs sitting in some of the liquid and place them in the fridge.

Boiled Peanuts:
Ingredients:
2 pounds raw peanuts
some salt to taste ( about less than 1/3 cup )
five-spice powder
A slow-cooker

Method:
Wash the raw peanuts.
Boil some water in a large stock pot, enough to cover the peanuts.
After the water has boiled, pour it into a slow-cooker and turn it onto high. Add the peanuts, five-spice powder and salt and let boil on High for 6 hours.
Drain the peanuts into a colander and let drip dry. Store in a tupperware in the fridge. It does not take long for cooked peanuts to go bad at room temperature.