Tea Steeping Tips
Here are some of our steeping tips. Tea is as much art as it is science, so do not be afraid to look for your own way to enjoy it.
Good tasting water and temperature are important. Boiling water is not good for white, green or oolong tea. Boiling water will ruin its flavor. Also, do not boil your tea.
Water temperature for tea
|
White & Green Tea
Oolong tea Black Tea Puerh, Herbal Tea, Matcha* |
160 - 170 F
180 -195 F Near boiling Full, roiling boil |
70-75C
80-95C Near boiling Full, roiling boil |
*Matcha is generally used during a Japanese Tea Ceremony. The host will fully boil water. This is to ensure that tea will dissolve and there is no lump at the bottom of the cup. We are a Japanese Tea Ceremony practitioner, so we follow this method.
Remove the leaves from the tea to prevent over-steeping. If you want a stronger tea, consider adding more tea rather than over-steeping. Over-steeping may cause a constipation.
Idea for using Matcha (Powdered Green Tea)
1 .Give the classic tea-and-lemonade drink a healthy boost and fun hue. Fill a pitcher with 3/4 cup
water, juice of 1 lemon, 3 teaspoons agave, 4 mint leaves, ice, and 1 teaspoon matcha, and stir well.
2.Forgo traditional flapjack toppers like maple syrup and butter for berries and a dusting of matcha, Lakatos suggests. Add powdered sugar if you desire.
3.Add depth to a tofu scramble by stirring in matcha when you add other spices (try curry powder,
paprika, Thai seasoning, and cumin). If you don't like soy, this works great with eggs too, so play around with adding matcha to omelets, quiche, and more.
4.If you find store-bought granola to be too sweet, sprinkling matcha on top will balance things out, says
Tammy Lakatos Shames, R.D., coauthor of The Veggie Cure. For those who prefer to DIY, add the powder to the other dry ingredients in any recipe.
5.Use matcha instead of salt,pepper, or other spices to season vegetables with an herbaceous hint, Lakatos says. Or stir it into vegetable or chicken stock (use about 1/4 teaspoon matcha for every cupwater or broth) and freeze in an ice cube tray so you can toss a cube into whatever you're cooking.
6.Instead of sugar, use high-quality matcha (it should be vibrant or electric green) to add a sweet aftertaste and antioxidants to your java.
7.These fiber-packed legumes are a superfood in their own right, but a little bit of matcha livens them up with bright, umami-inflected notes.
8.Green tea helps you unwind, and by mixing it with low-fat plain yogurt and freezing the combination, you have a popsicle that literally chills you out too,says Keri Gans, R.D., author of The Small Change Diet.
9.Tabbouleh's ingredients—bulgur, tomatoes, parsley, olive oil—are naturally sweet. Matcha
counterbalances those notes to make the flavors pop in this Middle Eastern dish. Add it to your recipe with the tomatoes and parsley.
10.Get creative with your Japanese takeout. A dash of matcha can make this soothing soup even more
satisfying and cut back on the miso's saltiness.
11.For a creamy, no-bake dessert, blend matcha with low-fat ricotta cheese, Gans suggests. You can't brew a cup of tea that quickly.
12.For a hearty dish, sauté chickpeas and matcha with garlic, cumin, onion, curry powder, olives, olive
brine, and chipotle powder.
13.Blend matcha with cream cheese for your bagel, or simply sprinkle it on top for an invigorating morning meal.
14.Matcha, garlic, and two to three drops of liquid smoke imparts a savory flavor to baba ghanoush, Sabbaugh says. Dust the eggplant with a smidge, then follow your recipe as usual.
15.For a creamy, vegetable spread to use on sandwiches, wraps, and burgers, chop and steam 1 bunch kale, then blend with blend 1/2 teaspoon matcha and 1/2 cup walnuts in a food
processor.
Credit: http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/cooking-ideas/20-genius-ways-use-matcha
water, juice of 1 lemon, 3 teaspoons agave, 4 mint leaves, ice, and 1 teaspoon matcha, and stir well.
2.Forgo traditional flapjack toppers like maple syrup and butter for berries and a dusting of matcha, Lakatos suggests. Add powdered sugar if you desire.
3.Add depth to a tofu scramble by stirring in matcha when you add other spices (try curry powder,
paprika, Thai seasoning, and cumin). If you don't like soy, this works great with eggs too, so play around with adding matcha to omelets, quiche, and more.
4.If you find store-bought granola to be too sweet, sprinkling matcha on top will balance things out, says
Tammy Lakatos Shames, R.D., coauthor of The Veggie Cure. For those who prefer to DIY, add the powder to the other dry ingredients in any recipe.
5.Use matcha instead of salt,pepper, or other spices to season vegetables with an herbaceous hint, Lakatos says. Or stir it into vegetable or chicken stock (use about 1/4 teaspoon matcha for every cupwater or broth) and freeze in an ice cube tray so you can toss a cube into whatever you're cooking.
6.Instead of sugar, use high-quality matcha (it should be vibrant or electric green) to add a sweet aftertaste and antioxidants to your java.
7.These fiber-packed legumes are a superfood in their own right, but a little bit of matcha livens them up with bright, umami-inflected notes.
8.Green tea helps you unwind, and by mixing it with low-fat plain yogurt and freezing the combination, you have a popsicle that literally chills you out too,says Keri Gans, R.D., author of The Small Change Diet.
9.Tabbouleh's ingredients—bulgur, tomatoes, parsley, olive oil—are naturally sweet. Matcha
counterbalances those notes to make the flavors pop in this Middle Eastern dish. Add it to your recipe with the tomatoes and parsley.
10.Get creative with your Japanese takeout. A dash of matcha can make this soothing soup even more
satisfying and cut back on the miso's saltiness.
11.For a creamy, no-bake dessert, blend matcha with low-fat ricotta cheese, Gans suggests. You can't brew a cup of tea that quickly.
12.For a hearty dish, sauté chickpeas and matcha with garlic, cumin, onion, curry powder, olives, olive
brine, and chipotle powder.
13.Blend matcha with cream cheese for your bagel, or simply sprinkle it on top for an invigorating morning meal.
14.Matcha, garlic, and two to three drops of liquid smoke imparts a savory flavor to baba ghanoush, Sabbaugh says. Dust the eggplant with a smidge, then follow your recipe as usual.
15.For a creamy, vegetable spread to use on sandwiches, wraps, and burgers, chop and steam 1 bunch kale, then blend with blend 1/2 teaspoon matcha and 1/2 cup walnuts in a food
processor.
Credit: http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/cooking-ideas/20-genius-ways-use-matcha
