Tea is the second most in-demand beverage in the world, and every day, approximately 2.16 billion cups are consumed by people globally. As people continue to discover different tea types that suit their tastes, many are starting to experiment with it in the kitchen and are adding it to various dishes. Cooking with tea isn’t a new concept as it’s something that is as old as tea itself. Furthermore, it’s a common technique used in China and Japan, and it has slowly made its way into western countries. If you’re looking to add depth and a new twist to your dishes with a natural ingredient, consider cooking with tea. Here are a few delicious ways to amp up your food with this popular beverage.
Use it in Desserts
Before you start experimenting in the kitchen, it’s important to find the right type of tea that will enhance the flavor of your dishes. Consider signing up for a tea of the month club membership to sample different types of tea. It’s the easiest way to taste various tea types and find ones that are suitable for cooking. Then, for your initial foray into the world of cooking with tea, try adding your chosen variants into various desserts.
Infusing desserts with tea is one of the easiest ways to cook with this beverage. For instance, you can use matcha tea to make matcha cookies or cakes. Matcha, a powdered tea with a brilliant green color, adds a delicate tea flavor to baked goods, and it pairs exceptionally well with vanilla, chocolate, sugar, cream, and other common baking ingredients. Black tea is also suitable for baking, and you can make anything from an Earl Grey-flavored cake to a black tea panna cotta.
Add Loose Tea to a Stir-Fry
Stir-frying is a favorite cooking technique in Asia as it’s quick, versatile, and cheap. You can stir-fry any type of vegetable with any kind of meat, and you may even add some rice to it to make it a complete meal. Adding loose tea to a stir-fry is a good way to enhance it, giving it a delicate fragrance and flavor without changing the overall taste of the dish.
Infusing desserts with tea is one of the easiest ways to cook with this beverage. For instance, you can use matcha tea to make matcha cookies or cakes.
Try making a green tea stir-fry by adding a handful of loose green tea to pork tenderloin, broccoli, red and green pepper, and mushrooms. For those who love seafood, consider making a white tea stir-fry by adding loose white tea to a wok filled with shrimp, chopped garlic, a bit of minced ginger, broccoli, and julienned carrots.
Make Marinades and Rubs With Tea
Tea and barbeque might seem like an odd combination, but adding tea to marinades and rubs can make chicken, pork, ribs, or beef taste even better. If you want to add a woody flavor to your barbeque, add a few teaspoons of oolong to your marinade. Meanwhile, for those who love that smoked meat taste, mix some lapsang souchong tea leaves into your marinade, and let the meat soak up the flavor for at least 12 hours before grilling. Then, prepare an ice cold tea drink to go with your barbequed foods. Black or green iced tea infused with lemon or orange slices are good choices as these drinks pair well with grilled meat.
Cooking with tea is a great way to add a fun twist to your everyday meals. Consider these tips to amp up your food with tea, and don’t be afraid to experiment with different tea variants to find the ones that’ll blend well into your favorite dishes.
Cooking with tea is a great way to add a fun twist to your everyday meals. Consider these tips to amp up your food with tea, and don’t be afraid to experiment with different tea variants to find the ones that’ll blend well into your favorite dishes.
