The benefits of green tea

THE practice of drinking green tea originated in China. Legend has it that it was discovered by Shannong, the Emperor of China, in 2737 BC when a few tea tree leaves fell into his cup of boiled water. Later, Chinese monks started drinking green tea for refreshment and to help them meditate. They would often travel to India and other places to spread Buddhism, and they took this miracle drink with them. Thereafter, green tea gained popularity.

Green tea is a non-fermented tea that is rich in antioxidants. However, green tea, black tea, and oolong tea all come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, green tea leaves have to be picked differently. The tea pickers have to pick the fresh leaves from the apex. These leaves are then processed in a way that prevents too much oxidation. And it is this picking and processing ritual that makes green tea so antioxidantrich.

The freshly picked tea leaves are very sensitive, which is why they are processed using either artisanal or modern methods. Sun drying, basket or charcoal firing, or pan firing are common artisanal methods. Oven drying, tumbling, or steaming are common modern methods. Processed green teas are stored under low humidity refrigeration in 30 or 60-kg paper bags at 0–5 °C.

A final firing occurs before blending, selection and packaging take place. The leaves will be re-fired throughout the year as they are needed, giving the green teas a longer shelf life and better flavour. After this re-drying process, each crude tea will be sifted and graded according to size. Finally, each lot will be blended according to the blending order by the tasters and packed for sale

Green tea varieties

Green tea almost never looks green. The infusion tends to produce a yellow colour

Several varieties of green tea exist, which differ substantially based on the variety of C. sinensis used, growing conditions, horticultural methods, production processing, and time of harvest.

Japanese green teas: Gyokuro.

■ Grown under shade for three weeks prior to plucking, gyokuro is one of the most exclusive varieties of tea produced in Japan. The shading technique imparts a sweeter flavour, and produces a particularly rich colour thanks to the higher amounts of chlorophyll in the shaded leaf.

■ Sencha. This type of tea is produced throughout the tea season, and is the standard style today, representing 80% of all tea produced in Japan.

■ Bancha. A lower-grade tea plucked from the same bushes used to produce sencha. It has a somewhat bolder flavour, and is plucked each season after sencha production is finished.

■ Genmaicha. Made by combining sencha tea leaves with toasted puffs of rice. Chinese green teas:

■ Longjing, also known as ‘Dragon Well’ tea, the English translation of its name. Longjing is the most well-known panfired Chinese green tea.

■ Gunpowder tea. This is a tea which is tumble-dried so that each leaf is rolled into a small pellet that resembles gunpowder

■ Chun Mee. Known in English by its Cantonese name, and popular outside China. It has a plum-like flavour. It is said to be rich in Vitamin C.

■ Biluochun. Produced in Jiangsu, this tea is named after the shape of the leaves, which are curled like snails.

Green tea is healthy

There are people who simply like green tea, others who have discovered it as the ideal drink to accompany Asian food. And those who believe it helps them meditate.

The Chinese, on the other hand, have always regarded green tea as a medicinal remedy. Its benefits have also reached Europe - its health-promoting effects can no longer be denied. It is said to lower high blood pressure and cholesterol levels; supply the body with important vitamins and minerals and, its fluorine levels help protect against dental decay.

But that's not all: it stimulates the circulation, regulates the hormone system, and has an antibacterial effect.

Tea contains theine, identical to the caffeine contained in coffee. Oxidised polyphenols (tannic acids) in the tea reduce the effects of theine. Thanks to this, theine is absorbed in the bloodstream over a 6 to 8 hour period.

Caffeine is, on the contrary, is rapidly absorbed in the bloodstream, generating a peak of activity which drops within 2 or 3 hours. That is why tea is known for its sharpening but not overstimulating effects.

Thearubigins, are another type of tannin, tends to reduce the impact of caffeine on human body. When tea is infused, caffeine is released first, before tannins. Thus quickly brewed tea is more powerful as far as stimulation is concerned. The tannins that are released next moderate this effect and limits the effect of caffeine.

There is three to four time less theine/caffeine in a cup of tea than in a cup of coffee.

Preparation

One teaspoon of tea leaves is required for each cup of tea. It is advisable to use mineral water or filtered water so as not to adulterate the taste of the tea. The water should never be boiling as this will make the tea taste bitter. Let it cool down a little first. The better the quality of the tea, the lower the water temperature; 70 degrees is said to be optimal.

Depending on the variety, it is best to let the tea brew for only two to three minutes.

If it is steeped longer, green tea inevitably becomes bitter.

If the tea is of good quality, it can be brewed three or more times - and becomes milder each time because its tannins are reduced.

Green tea should not be drunk with sugar or milk.

Cooking with tea

Almost any tea is suitable for cooking. Flavoured green teas especially inspire cooks to experiment with their fragrant leaves. Whether cherry flavour, bergamot as in the popular Earl Grey, orange essence, rose petals, lotus, jasmine or mint - almost any tea is suitable as an ingredient for cooking. Meat, fish, poultry, rice, soups and sauces can include tea as an ingredient as well as desserts, be it cake, a cream or ice cream.

Sponge cake with green tea

Serves four people: 100g ground almonds (almendras molidas), 200 g sugar (azúcar), 100 g flour (harina), 3 eggs (huevos), 1 small coffee spoon of baking powder (levadura), 125g butter (mantequilla), a pinch of salt, 2 coffee spoons of green tea leaves (té verde) ground to powder.

Line an oblong cake tin with aluminium foil, grease with butter and sprinkle with flour.

In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with the sugar to make the cream, add the melted but not hot butter and mix well with a hand mixer.

Gradually add the almonds and then the flour previously mixed with the baking powder and tea.

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff and gently add into the mixture.

Preheat the oven to 180 to 200 degrees. After five minutes, put the tin in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.

Leave to cool a little after removing from the oven.

Leg of lamb with tea sauce

Ingredients for 4 people: 1 leg of lamb of about 1.2 kg with bone (pierna de cordero), 3 teaspoons of green tea leaves (té verde), 75 g butter, 8 shallots (escalonias), 1 chopped onion (cebolla), 2 sliced carrots (zanahorias), 250ml lamb stock, pepper and salt. Grease an oven tray. Cut the leg of lamb lengthways along the bone with a knife and introduce a teaspoon of green tea in the cut. Then tie the leg together and brush with about 25g melted butter. Season on both sides.

Place the leg of lamb on the baking tray, place the shallots around the leg, and cook in the preheated oven at a high temperature for about 45 minutes, basting from time to time with the juices that run off.

Meanwhile, bring the quarter of a litre of lamb stock to the boil with the same amount of water. Add the carrots and onion and cook over a medium heat for about 15 minutes. Add the rest of the tea leaves, and then remove the pan from the heat. Cover and leave to infuse for 15 minutes.

Drain the stock, bring to the boil and reduce by half. While stirring, cut the rest of the cold butter into chunks and whisk into the sauce to thicken.

Mix the shallots with the gravy and four tablespoons of the tea sauce.

Slice the lamb and place on a platter. Pour the sauce over.

Fruits in jasmine tea

For 4 people: 5 tea bags of jasmine tea (té verde de jazmín), 1 orange (naranja), 3 cinnamon sticks or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (canela), 1 tsp cloves (clavo de especia), 250ml orange juice (zumo de naranja), 2 tbsp sugar (azúcar), 80ml brandy (optional), 250g dried fruit (sultanas, prunes, etc.), 750g fresh fruit cut into pieces (pineapple, green apple, pear, etc.), whipped cream for garnish (nata para montar).

Peel the orange, keeping the zest. Remove the segments with a sharp knife.

Bring 1 1/4 litres of water to the boil in a large saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the tea bags, cinnamon sticks, orange zest, cloves, orange juice and sugar, leave to brew for five minutes, and then remove the tea bags.

While the tea is warm, pour in the brandy and add the fruit, except for the delicate orange segments. Leave to cool. Then add the orange segments as well.

Remove the cloves, orange peel and cinnamon sticks. Pour the fruit into bowls, add some jasmine tea and serve topped with whipped cream.