Red Egg and Ginger Party

Method10 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Read the egg-cooking sequence before starting: begin with the eggs covered in cold water, bring to a boil, boil about 5 minutes and rest off the heat about 3 minutes. These are the author’s starting guides; the eggs must finish with firm whites and yolks. Cool the cooked eggs in cold water about 2 minutes, dry and dye them. Carry out the cooking in the next step.

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Place the 12 eggs in a clean, grease-free pot and cover fully with cold water. Add the 1 tsp egg-boiling salt and optional 1 tbsp egg-boiling vinegar. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, cook about 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and let stand about 3 minutes. Check that the white and yolk are firm; continue cooking if needed before cooling. Keep the separate ginger salt and marinade vinegar for their later steps.

   Egg boiling guide; check firm whites and yolks · 5 minUses 12 eggs · 1 tbsp vinegar for boiling eggs · 1 tsp salt for boiling eggs · Cold water to cover eggs

   
3. 3

   Step 3: While the eggs cook, mix 1 cup water with 2 tsp food-grade red food colouring in a clean bowl. If colouring the ginger too, set aside about 1/2 tsp of this clean solution before dipping any eggs.

   Uses 1 cup dye water; most remains in the dye bowl · 2 tsp food-grade colouring; retained amount unknown

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Transfer the fully cooked eggs to a bowl of clean cold water for about 2 minutes. Place on a clean towel and wipe the shells dry so the dye colours them evenly.

   Cool cooked eggs in cold water · 2 minUses Fully cooked shell eggs · Clean cold water for cooling eggs

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Dip each cooled, dry egg in the prepared red food-colouring solution for about 30 seconds and place on a clean plate to dry. Refrigerate the finished eggs while the ginger pickles overnight.

   Dye each cooked egg · 1 minUses Cooled, dry cooked eggs · Prepared red dye solution

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Peel the 10 oz ginger and slice thinly.

   Uses 10 oz ginger

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Toss the sliced ginger with the separate 2 tsp ginger salt, separating any clumped slices. Leave for 5 minutes to soften.

   Salted ginger rest · 5 minUses Thinly sliced peeled ginger · 2 tsp salt for ginger

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Mix 4 tbsp sugar and the separate 5 tbsp ginger-marinade vinegar in a clean bowl. For older ginger, optionally add the extra 1 tbsp sugar and extra 1 tbsp vinegar. For a pink tint, optionally add the 1/2 tsp clean colouring solution reserved before dyeing the eggs.

   Uses 4 tbsp sugar for ginger marinade · 5 tbsp vinegar for ginger marinade · 1 tbsp extra sugar if using older ginger · 1 tbsp extra vinegar if using older ginger · Optional clean colouring solution reserved before egg dipping

   
9. 9

   Step 9: After the ginger has stood with salt for 5 minutes, rinse in clean water for 20–30 seconds, drain through a colander and press out excess water.

   Uses Salted ginger slices · Clean water to rinse ginger

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Mix the rinsed, squeezed ginger with its prepared marinade, ensuring the slices are coated and ideally submerged. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve with the refrigerated dyed eggs.

    Uses Rinsed and squeezed ginger · Prepared ginger marinade · Refrigerated dyed cooked eggs, for serving