I love tea (from the Camellia Sinensis plant that is) and I have for a long time now. Sencha green tea is my absolute favorite with matcha being a close second.
Since I am a crazy tea fanatic, I also like to cook with it. I have found that you can add in some interesting flavor to foods. In this post, I wanted to share three ways that you can put tea into your dishes.
The teas and what kinds of food they go good with
As you probably know, there are different types of teas that come from the Camellia Sinensis plant. In my opinion they do not all go good in the same foods so here is a list of what I think each of them pair well with:
· Green (all types): Baked goods, miscellaneous sweets, fruits, soups and rice.
· Black and Pu-erh(all types): Meats, hearty fare and vegetables (especially carrots!).
· Oolong (all types): Meats, chocolate baked goods and vegetables.
· White (all types): Baked goods, miscellaneous sweets and fruits.
· Yellow (all types): Baked goods, miscellaneous sweets and fruits.
Way to cook with tea: steep it in
You can steep the tea in some portion of the recipe. To really get the flavor out you would need to use more of the tea and steep for longer than you would if you were making it to drink. You can use tea pouches if you only have the leaves instead of bags. Here are some examples of using this method when cooking:
1. Steep oolong tea in rice wine vinegar in an Asian-inspired dish.
2. Steep it in melted butter for baked goods (green, white and yellow are great for this).
3. Steep it in the oil that is in your recipe.
4. Steep it in buttermilk for baked goods (green, white and yellow are great for this).
5. Steep it in the pot you are cooking rice in (green is great for this).
6. Steep it in with the meat you are marinating (black, pu-erh and oolong are great for this).
7. Steep it in a glaze.
8. Steep it into syrups for fruit (green, white and yellow are great for this).
9. Steep it into vinegar for a salad dressing (green is great for this).
10. Mix matcha powder into the liquid or dry ingredients (great for dessert type dishes).
Way to cook with tea: brew it and use it
You can make the tea (strongly brewed) and use it for the liquid in the recipe. Here are some examples of using this method when cooking:
1. Use it as a broth (green tea is great for this!).
2. Use it as a “pour-over” on meats (black, pu-erh and oolong are great for this).
3. Use a couple tablespoons of the tea in mug cakes and baked goods (note: oolong is delicious in chocolate-based treats).
4. Use the brewed tea in chili and stews (black, pu-erh and oolong are great for this).
Way to cook with tea: Use the leaves themselves
You could open the tea bag up or use the loose-leaf tea you may have. Here are some examples of using this method:
1. Use the leaves with the other seasonings in meats, chilis and stews (black, pu-erh and oolong are great for this).
2. Add the leaves into the dry ingredients in baked goods (green, white, yellow and oolong are great for this).
3. Crush up the leaves and mix with sugar. This can be sprinkled on or put into things (green, white and yellow are great for this).
To sum it all up
Tea can be a great additive to the recipes you are making. They can provide extra complexity to the flavor profile of your dishes. The tea can also serve as the main flavor.
I have been using different kinds to cook with for the past few years now. These are the three methods that I have learned to use to make it part of my meals. I hope that this post helps and inspires you to use tea for more than just drinking.
Do you use tea in your cooking? If so, tell me how you use it!
Thanks for reading!
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