Recipe for Chai Tea

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

For one pot of this Chai Tea recipe you will need:
-1/2 of a star anise star
-10-12 whole cloves
-6-7 whole allspice
-1 heaping teaspoon of cinnamon bark (or 2 short sticks)
-6-7 whole white peppercorns
-1 cardamon pod opened to the seeds
-1 cup water
-4-6 cups whole milk
-2 heaping tablespoons of a high quality full-bodied broad-leaf black tea (Ceylon, or English Breakfast)
-Sugar
How to prepare it:
1. In a 2-qt saucepan, add spices to 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Steep for 5-20 minutes, depending on how strong a spice flavor you want (longer - the stronger spice flavor).
2. Add 4-6 cups of whole milk to the water and spices. If you don't have whole milk, you can also use non-fat or low-fat milk, just add a few tablespoons cream to it. Bring the milk and spice mixture to a boil. Remove from heat.
3. Add the tea to the milk and let steep for 5-10 minutes to taste. You can add sugar or serve without it and let people put the amount of sugar if they want. Traditionally, sugar is added before serving.
4. Strain into a pot, serve and add sugar to taste.

Tea Chicken Stir-Fry

Saturday, September 26, 2009

You will need:
-1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
-1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1⁄2 teaspoon dried
-1 red onion, sliced
-1 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
-1 red bell pepper, sliced
-1 green bell pepper, sliced
-2 cups chopped broccoli florets
-1⁄2 cup brewed oolong tea
-Juice 2 lemons
-1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
-1 cup snow peas
-Grated zest of 1 lemon
-Tea Rice, for serving

How to prepare it:
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok. Add the red pepper flakes and thyme. Cook for just a few seconds to allow the seasoning to infuse into the oil.
Add the chicken. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, and remove from the pan. Add the onion to the pan. Cook until translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes longer. Add the red and green bell peppers and the broccoli. Cook for a few minutes.
Add the chicken back into the pan. Add the tea, lemon juice, and pepper. Add the snow peas. Add the lemon zest and cook for just a few minutes more.
Serve with Tea Rice.

NUTRITION PER SERVING: calories 240, fat 5 g, protein 33 g, carb 18 g

Household Tips with Green Tea

Many things that we dispose each day can be very useful in every day life. One of these is old tea leaves. These traditional household tips have been handed down in Japan from one generation to another and are still very useful.

As a deodorizer
Used tea leaves are good for removing odor from refrigerators and wardrobes. First dry the leaves thoroughly and then wrap them in a gauze bag. The leaves than should be dry-roasted in a fry pan to revive their deodorizing function, but not burned. If you wrap them in a decorative sloth, you will have an attractive item.

For treating cuts
The used tea leaves should be chewed a little to get softer and then applied to a minor cuts such as those sustained working in the kitchen. This will stop the bleeding and the tannin acts as a disinfectant.

For morning sickness
Many pregnant women can relieve morning sickness by nibbling on steeped leaves with a high content of vitamin C, such as quality sencha.

For diaper rash and bed sores
After the first serving, pour more hot water on the leaves and then pour this into another container to let it cool to the baby's body temperature. Dip a piece of soft gauze in the tea, squeeze it lightly, and wipe the affected areas. This method is also effective against bedsores.

As first aid after a tooth extraction
Tannin has an antiseptic effect, so rinsing your mouth with strong bancha will help to stop the bleeding after a tooth has been extracted.

Green Tea - Components

Thursday, September 24, 2009

A tea leaf consist of 77 percent water and 23 percent solid matter. Of the latter, about one-third is made up of water-soluble components-including amino acids, polyphenol (includes catechins), polysaccharides, and vitamin C-and two-thirds consists of insoluble components0including crude fivers, cellulose, vitamin E and carotene. Each component has its own good qualities, and some, partcularly the catechins that generate the astringency of tea, have many other benefits. Some nutrients that are not extracted when tea is steeped in hot water can be used to the full when tea is used as a cooking ingredient.

Catechins: Catechins are the agents responsible for the astringency in tea, more commonly called "tannin". Catechins are related to flavonoids, have antibacterial and antioxidative functions, and are effective in reducing oxodation, inhibiting the spread of cancer and tumors, and lowering cholesterol levels in the blood. They also play a part in stabilizing blood pressure and blood sugar, resist viruses, and have a deodorization function.

Caffeine: The caffeine content of tea leaves is three times higher in the top shoot than in the lower stalk. It is estimated that 1 pound (450 grams) of tea leaves-sufficient to make 200 cups of tea-contain approximately 1/2 ounce (16 grams) of caffeine. However, the caffeine in green tea is supposedly milder than that in coffee. Caffeine counteracts fatigue and drowsiness, stimulates heart function, and also acts as a diuretic.

Polysaccharides: Effective in lowering blood sugar.

Fluoride: Protects the enamel of teeth and prevents cavities.

Vitamin B complex: Effective in regulating the metabolism of saccharine.

Vitamin C: Its effects include lessening stress and building up resistance to mild infections such as colds.

Vitamin E: Its effects include an anti-oxidization action and slowing of the aging process.

Amino Butyric acid (Gava): Protects against hypertension.

Flavonoids: Their effects include strengthening the walls of blood vessels and preventing halitosis.

Theanine: One of several amino acids, which are responsible for the distinctive aroma and flavor of Japanese tea.

Baby Sleep Tea

Sunday, September 13, 2009

You will need:
-1 tsp hops
-1 tsp Chamomile
How to prepare it:
Place 4 cups of water into a glass or porcelain pot. Bring it to a boil. Take the pot of the heat and add the herbals. Put a tight lid on the pot and let it steep for 5 minutes. Strain out herbals.
Cool the tea. You can place it in the refrigerator or simply wait until it reaches room temperature. It is very important that you do not give your baby hot tea or it can burn their tongue, throat and stomach.When it is cool enough, place in four ounce glass bottle for baby and let the baby drink it.

Tips for a Perfect Cup of Tea

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

To make a perfect cup of tea you should be aware of more than one thing. The thing is that different teas have different brewing requirements. Some teas can be steeped for long periods of time (particularly Tung Ting),but with other teas over-steeping can result in a beverage that is both astringent and bitter. Follow this basic directions and you will have a good cup of tea.

If using loose tea, the hot water need to circulate, so make sure that the leaves have enough room to fully bloom during the steeping process. The perfect container for this should be a large teapot with a strainer.

Tea bags do not really give the tea room to move around much during steeping, so if using tea bags, you should move the bag around a few times, during steeping, to help circulate the water.

You should measure your tea, 1 teaspoon per cup (8 oz.) of water is sufficient for brewing tea. Some teas, like white tea and tisanes, require more water for steeping, up to 16oz. Often tea containers will tell you exactly how much to use.

Proper water temperature can make the difference between a perfect cup of tea and something that merely resembles tea. Heavier teas, like black tea and oolongs brew best at boiling temperature, 212F. Lighter teas, like white tea, green tea, and some oolongs are better brewed at a lower temperature, such as 180F ( way to reach 180F is to let the water boil, remove from the heat, and let sit for a few minutes).

Heat the teapot before adding your tea leaves by adding some boiling water to your teapot and swirl it around. Pour it out and than brew your tea. This is done because we want to maintain the proper steeping temperature. Otherwise, the cool teapot would cool down the boiling water.

Don't over-steep because over-steeping tea can produce a cup that you won't want to drink. A general rule is the heavier the tea, the less time it should steep. Black teas will generally steep no longer than 3-4 minutes. Oolongs will brew closer to 4 minutes, and white tea can steep for 5-7 minutes.
For green tea different rules apply. The higher quality the tea, the longer it should steep. Cheap green teas, like bancha and sencha will steep for only 30 seconds. Genmaicha will steep for 2 minutes, and Tung Ting(technically an oolong, brews more like a a green) can practically steep forever and is often enjoyed gungfu style.

Omelet with Green Tea

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

You will need:
-1 medium potato
-3 oz (90 g) sausages
-vegetable oil for frying
-4 eggs
-1 oz (30 g) processed cheese, any kind
-2 Tbsp milk
-1tsp tencha or sencha
-salt and pepper to taste
-4-8 cherry tomatoes
-2 Tbsp butter
-a few leaves of fresh mint, fresh basil or any other herb

Matcha Sauce
-1 tsp matcha + 1 Tbsp warm milk
-4 Tbsp mayonnaise
-2 Tbsp plain yogurt (low sugar)

How to prepare it:
Cut the potato into 1/2-inch (1cm) cubes and cook 2 minutes in a a microwave oven until soft. Set aside.
Cut the sausages into 1/2-inch (1cm) segments. Pour a little oil in a fry pan and fry sausages over low to medium heat until cooked. Set aside.
Cut the cheese 1/2-inch (1cm) cubes.
Beat the eggs. Add the milk and tea. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Combine the potato, sausages and cheese with the eggs.
Heat the butter in a fry pan. Over medium-high heat cook the eggs quickly, stirring all the time. Shape into an omelet and put on a serving dish.
Make the matcha sauce by mixing matcha and warm milk and stirring until the paste becomes smooth.
Combine the mayonnaise and the yogurt. Add the matcha paste.
Pout the sauce over the omelet and serve with cherry tomatoes and any fresh herbs.

Omelet with green tea sauce is also excellent served on a slice of any kind of bread, together with a few lettuce leaves.
Serves 4