Don't get us wrong, we love to bag or brew and slowly sip on a good cup of tea. In fact, that tea drinkers are "better people" (and probably less stressed, too).
Tea is number one on our 'must explore' list, especially after mastering this - and this has us wanting more. With its smoking potential, dairy infusions and added spice, here's how you can eat more tea, alongside your cup of, if you're a little tea obsessed.
"Tea hasn't always been used for drinking. It's been used as medicine, money and as for food." Luke Nguyen
1. Infuse your creams and custard
Similarly with vanilla beans and herbs, using tea to infuse milk and cream is an easy way to add flavour to your custards, ice-creams and smoothies. Simply heat your milk with the tea of your choosing, let it cool and then strain.
The Earl Grey cream complements this rich piece of heaven and its an easy dessert you won't want to share.
Source: Supplied
Making ice-cream at home doesn't have to be difficult. Here, shares this matcha favourite.
2. Switch it up
Source: Steve Brown / Hachette
Substituting your liquid component for some freshly brewed tea is such a must. Using it in smoothies, soaking your oats in it, as well as combining it in your soups, pasta, rice and stews, either alongside or instead of your stock or liquid addition, can be a nice way to balance out your other flavours. I call adding tea, "sealing the deal", because using the right and light brewed cup can add a delicate touch, balance your stock or seasoning component and not overpower your dish.
It may seem a strange combination to add tea to a soup, but the subtle flavour of chamomile really does work well with the earthiness of Jerusalem artichokes. And it’s nice to have a way to enjoy tea beyond the teapot, too.
3. Spike it
Source: China Squirrel
Tea and dessert work well side-by-side and fortunately for us, they work just as well all rolled into one. Using the brew as your 'wet' component in cakes, cookies and slices is a real treat. Tea powders such as matcha, chai and green also add delicious flavours, and pair nicely with the likes of fruit, nuts and chocolate.
This is one "vegetable-type" cake worth incorporating into your daily count. The beauty of this carrot cake is all in the spice – the masala chai works wonders.
4. The smoky treatment
Masala chai carrot cake Source: Nik Sharma
Smoking food at home can be done. China Doll's used to smoke at home using a shoe-box in his then Hong Kong apartment without the fire department investigating. We don't recommend trialling any risky practices, but smoking can be safe and relatively simple. Frank's handy tip is to open windows and turn on the extractor fan!
Smoked tea flavours marry nicely with meat dishes. Take one of China's classics: tea-smoked duck. Whilst you can try other poultry here, this recipe is definitely worth trying at home.
Step-by-step: "Make a double-layered foil basket containing your sugar, rice and tea leaves – this should be open at the top. Place the basket in the wok, then place a wire rack on top, ensuring the basket isn’t crushed. Place the duck on the plate on the wire rack." Boom!
In case you missed , Frank Shek dished up this winning duck and this recipe guides you through all the hot hints and easy tricks to serving superb duck.
5. Work it into your dough
Tea-smoked duck with tamarind and plum sauce Source: China Squirrel
Adding tea to your bread, pasta or pie dough is almost a revelation and one that can be easily introduced. Whilst black and green teas can also add a pop of colour, using teas can also give your base a herbaceous taste. You can either add a tea powder to your flours and dry mixture, or brewed leaves for your 'wet' component, either way experimenting when making your own dough is really half the fun. (The other half is obviously eating it.)
The earthiness is balanced out in this recipe with the addition of fresh cucumber, zingy pickled ginger and other Japanese ingredients, such as tobiko and shiso.
Source: Benito Martin
uses fresh green tea leaves to infuse his sweet sesame dumplings.
6. What a finish
Source: Luke Nguyen
Going back to its usual state, brewing your cup of tea and using it as a liquid garnish or accompaniment is a neat idea and one that some dishes could really benefit from. Simply combine your tea powder or leaves with a little boiling water, add a little stock or seasoning for the savoury, or a little honey for a sweeter note. The flavour balancing act is complete with a splash, dash or pour of tea over the top.
Using matcha is a departure from the traditional way of making this uber-simple Japanese dish - generally, green tea leaves are used. It's a flexible kind of comfort food, so toppings can chop and change depending on your tastes.
Green tea and egg rice (ochazuke) Source: Leanne Kitchen
These little pretty purses called tang-yuan, meaning ‘soup circles’, are a wildly beloved Chinese dessert. Each ball is a mouthful of complimenting textures and flavours – chewy and runny, sweet and slightly salty, intensely nutty and rich – balanced with the subtle bitterness and fragrance from lightly honey-sweetened green tea.
Time for tea? Check out our collection .
Peanut butter sticky rice balls in green tea Source: Mandy Lee
