Kyrgyzstan Dinner Chinese Style

Last year this time, I was in Kyrgyzstan visiting these dear ones. I wasn't the greatest company because of the Let's Make a Deal fiasco. They were patient, loving, and amazing as always. It was good to be with family and rest for a while! 

After a week in Istanbul, we headed to their home in Jalal-Abad. What a joy to see where and how this devoted family lives out their hearts' greatest desire because they said, "yes" to God!

They tried to teach me Kyrgyz. My eyes glazed over.

We went out for scrumptious traditional Kyrgyz meals. My favorites were: a pumpkin filled pastry and a meat filled dinner-roll. 

MMMmmm!

One evening I tried my hand at cooking them a Chinese meal.

Really, it was an assortment of foods I'd found challenging to eat with chopsticks! I spared them the shrimp test. 

Our menu consisted of soy and honey glazed chicken drumsticks I couldn't bring myself to cook duck feet, Chinese cabbage, and marbled tea eggs.

Two of the men of the house were gracious enough to lend a hand! 

  

Early in the year, one of the Chinese teachers had brought in a tea-boiled egg her mom had made. It looked rather unappealing. 

I took the plunge and ate it -----

WOW! 

Normal hard-boiled eggs lost their allure in one bite.

Ask any Chinese woman how to make these eggs and they will say, "It's EASY, so EASY!" 

Good. That's my kind of cooking in foreign countries!

It turns out, easy for them meant half a day's work!

First: Boil the eggs as normal

Second: Take a knife and crack the hard-boiled eggs

Third: Place cracked eggs in a pot of tea, orange peels, and spices

Fourth: Bring to a boil

Fifth: Soak for two hours

Sixth: Allow to cool

Seventh: Remove shells 

Side note: Tea-boiled eggs do not suit well to a foreigner's stomach while climbing mountains. Just a little lesson learned with my climbing buddy on Mt. Huashan!

No chicken drumsticks or eggs ended up on the floor and there were no reports of sickness later. Thus, I'd say it was a success!

Did I forget to mention we dressed for the occasion?