Without further ado, the ingredient that makes Lu Dan braised eggs unique is soy sauce. The soy sauce broth that turns boiled eggs into Lu Dan isn't usually used for eggs at all, says Cooks Illustrated. The broth is used for a dish called "lu wei," which typically consists of marinated braised pork, kelp, or tofu, but it brings a saltiness and umami flavor that takes boiled eggs to the next level. Also, Lu Dan varies depending on where you eat it. In northern Taiwan, it's customary for the eggs to be prepared with spices, but in southern Taiwan, you won't find many spices in your Lu Dan. Common simmering spices include cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, bay leaves, orange peel, chilis, and Szechuan peppercorns, per Simply Recipes.
This dish is so delicious that many different Asian cultures have their own variations of soy sauce eggs. In Japan, soy sauce eggs (aka "shoyu tamago") are a popular snack, via The Spruce Eats. Similarly to Lu Dan, in shoyu tamago, boiled eggs are simply peeled and steeped in soy sauce. In Korean soy sauce eggs, the eggs are steeped with dried anchovies, garlic, onion, scallions, and sesame oil (via Simply Recipes). There's even a variation called "tea eggs," per The New York Times, which are fittingly just boiled eggs semi-peeled and steeped in soy sauce and tea.
The Ingredient That Makes Lu Dan Braised Eggs Unique - Tasting Table
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