New uses for your favourite teas
How about doing more than just using your tea as a beverage?
The leaves, blossoms, and herbs which comprise the expansive world of teas have multiple culinary applications other than the expected imbibement.
The history of tea is believed to find its origins in China more than 5,000 years ago.
In 2732, Emperor Shen Nung was boiling some water when some errant leaves from a wild tree gently fell into the pot.
The resulting aromas emanating from the pot intrigued the emperor, and so he tasted the infusion; he was thoroughly delighted.
The happy discovery of tea brewing is said to be so meaningful to Chinese culture that the character for tea depicts the union of humans and nature.
Genmaicha brown rice green tea is a Japanese-style green tea made from mixing roasted brown rice kernels and sencha green tea.
Lovingly nicknamed “popcorn tea”, the roasted brown rice kernels contribute to its nutty and aromatic fragrance and complements the astringency of green tea.
In the tofu preparation I am sharing with you, the genmaicha is combined with honey and spicy chili sauce; the flavour combination is so deeply satisfying.
I like to serve it with rice noodles in a gingery-coconut milk broth.
In another green tea vein, Matcha literally means "powdered tea," and with matcha, you’re drinking the actual leaves, which have been finely powdered and made into a solution when it is prepared for drinking.
In this cookie recipe, the earthy and tannic quality of the matcha powder plays the perfect foil to the intense sweetness of the white chocolate.
Matcha-White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chef Ilona Daniel
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp matcha green tea powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325 F and prepare cookie sheets by lining with parchment paper.
Sift flour, matcha, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Beat brown sugar, butter, and white sugar together in a large bowl using an electric mixer until blended. Then, beat in vanilla extract, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy.
Mix flour mixture into creamed butter until dough is just blended; fold in white chocolate using a wooden spoon. Drop a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet two inches apart.
Bake eight to 10 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Cool cookies on a baking sheet for three minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
The happy discovery of tea brewing is said to be so meaningful to Chinese culture that the character for tea depicts the union of humans and nature.
Green Tea and Honey Glazed Tofu
Chef Ilona Daniel
Serves 4
One 12 oz. package of pressed tofu,
sliced into one-quarter-inch slices
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup strong brewed Genmaicha
(Green tea with toasted brown rice)
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, cut as small as
you can cut it or grate it
1 to 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tbsp Sriracha or Sambal Olek
4 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
To prepare the tofu: Bring a pot of salted water to a gentle boil and add the tofu. Allow it to simmer for three minutes. Turn off the heat and allow it to sit for three more minutes.
Gently remove the tofu from the water and place it in a 9x9 baking dish, pasta plate, or resealable container that can accommodate the liquid marinade.
For the marinade: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir until it is well mixed; add to the tofu and allow to marinate for one hour.
Lay the slices onto a parchment-lined tray and bake the slices at 425 for five minutes. Flip the slices over and cook for another five minutes.
Serve the tofu over coconut rice noodles. Garnish with fresh lime, cilantro, basil, and chopped peanuts if desired.