International Tea Day is in December and to celebrate we have provided a variety of ways to use tea that go beyond the much beloved, hot drink.

 

Bake Cookies

Take afternoon tea to the next level by flavoring your cookie dough with powdered matcha. When baking sugar cookies in particular, use two tablespoons of matcha for the dough. Then, create tea sugar by combining half a teaspoon of matcha with half a cup of granulated sugar. Roll the dough in the sugar prior to baking and then wait as the delicious aroma begins to fill your kitchen!

 

Infuse Dairy

This simple trick is perfect when adding flavor and fragrance to your food. Strain the leaves before adding the tea to the milk or cream, while slowly heating it to just below boiling. Afterwards, let it cool entirely. This works well when making a cream sauce for pasta or rice. You can even use it for sweet ice creams and desserts!

 

Flavor a Stir-Fry

Kick your stir-fry up a notch by using tea for seasoning. Combine puffed rice and corn with some green tea. When the leaves hit the hot pan they will toast while the corn and rice are infused with the roasted flavor. This will work well with any vegetables or meat you may include.

 

Use as a Marinade

When cooking meat like steak, pork or chicken, it’s important to marinate the meat with spices like salt, garlic, pepper and more. Spice it up some more by adding some tea leaves for an unexpected, but delicious surprise in every bite.

 

Create Tea Butter

This simple trick will transform how you eat your bread and biscuits. Let unsalted butter sit at room temperature until soft. Mix the butter with either powdered tea or tea leaves and shape the butter into any shape you’d like. Allow it to harden in the fridge before use.

 

Substitute Stock for Tea

If you’re cooking grains like rice, using light brewed tea instead of stock can give your meal more flavor and aroma.

 

Cheers!

 

Inspiration: Bon Appetit

 

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