TIME FOR TEA
Did you know some of the most unusual flavours are set alight when tea is added to your food? Learn how to cook with tea
It’s a tough task trying to write a story on the ABCs of tea, and restrict it to just one article. As a nation of tea drinkers and exporters, we cannot begin our day without that special cup.
Sure, tea is a perfect beverage. But it is also a great ingredient in cooking food. What makes it versatile is that it can be used as a marinade, a tenderiser and a condiment. It works because tea imparts a unique flavour.
COOKING WITH TEA
As you experiment with drinking a variety of teas, try using your favourites to flavour foods. “Although it’s always a good idea to buy the best teas for drinking, the best tea should be drunk in its pure state, rather than be married with other flavours in cooking. Does that mean the ‘ second best’ ( or less) is more suitable for cooking? As Confucius said, ‘ Let your palate be your guide’,” says author Diana Rosen.
According to French chef Gregory Bazire at Mumbai’s Brooke Bond Taj Mahal Tea House, the teas primarily used in the kitchen, are jasmine, smokey mountain, Darjeeling, matcha green tea and Earl Grey in pastry preparation. “We need the essence of the tea to infuse the fish, chicken or pasta dough, so a good amount is generally used. The recipes do not catch the bitterness of the tea, since there are other ingredients to balance it out.”
Gregory uses ground tea leaf powder for the Darjeeling risotto and pasta dough, and plain tea leaf for his jasmine marinated chicken salad. For the salad, the chicken is slowly cooked into a broth with onions, ginger, spices and oriental jasmine tea.
Try poaching King fish in a strong smoky mountain decoction, to ensure a very special aroma and colour that will have your guests swooning for more.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF TEA
Some studies have shown drinking two to three cups of black or green tea per day helps to maintain healthy vascular function ( your circulatory system). There is evidence that drinking tea and flavonoids reduces the risk of stroke.
Nutrition experts agree that calorie- free tea is a delicious beverage for hydration. Now, hydration is important for concentration, alertness, speed and sports performance. When you drink tea, you also drink 99.5 per cent water that keeps you hydrated.
Green tea is an excellent calorie- free drink that is great for weight loss, when not consumed with milk or sugar.