Classic Hong Kong Cha Chaan Teng Drink: Have You Tried "Boiling Water Egg"?

▲ Classic Hong Kong Cha Chaan Teng Drink: Have You Tried "Boiling Water Egg"?

Reported and photographed by Reporter Yu Ru / Hong Kong

Have travelers to Hong Kong ever taken a close look at the drink menu in a cha chaan teng? There's a beverage called "Boiling Water Egg" that you won’t find in most modern cha chaan tengs. Just reading the name might leave you puzzled, and many locals haven't even tried it—but it's one of the classic drinks that carries old memories of Hong Kong.


▲ An egg is cracked into boiling water.



"Boiling Water Egg," also known as "Monk Jumps into the Sea," can now only be found in traditional old-school cha chaan tengs. The preparation involves pouring a freshly cracked raw egg directly into a cup of piping hot water. Before drinking, the egg is stirred, and then a few spoonfuls of white sugar are added—that’s the classic way to enjoy it.The existence of the "Boiling Water Egg" actually stems from a time when resources were scarce in Hong Kong. A cup of hot water with an egg was considered nutritious fare back then.

When an egg is cracked into boiling water, the yolk has a smooth, glossy appearance, likened to a monk’s bald head, while the cooked egg white resembles the flowing robes of a monk falling into the water—hence the old nickname among locals, "Monk Jumps into the Sea." The reporter ordered a cup to try. When served, it was still just boiling water with a raw egg yolk inside. After stirring and adding sugar, it resembled sweetened egg drop soup, albeit with a very mild flavor.


▲ Boiling Water Egg after being stirred and sweetened.

This nostalgic old Hong Kong drink, the "Boiling Water Egg," isn’t as popular as iced milk tea or iced lemon tea. But the point of trying it doesn’t seem to be about taste—it’s more about experiencing a piece of Hong Kong’s past and the sentiment behind it, as well as seeing another side of the traditional cha chaan teng experience.