OVERVIEW:
A hearty green tea tightly rolled into small pellets. When brewed and steeped, the tea pellets will "explode" or open into a longer leaf. Bold and invigorating with a pleasantly bitter taste. Delightful when brewed with a pinch of spearmint or stevia.
LATIN:
Camellia sinensis sinensis
ORIGIN:
China
CULTIVATION:
Organic
BREWED COLOR AND TIME:
Burnt gold - Steep tea for 1 to 2 minutes in simmering water (175ºF).
Gunpowder Green Tea
Contains caffeine.
Loose tea has a stronger and fresher flavor and uses whole (or very large pieces of leaves) which in turn allows all the essential oils of the tea leaf to be expressed in the water. Loose tea can be re-steeped several times without losing their favor.
All “true” tea comes from the same plant, called the Camellia sinensis. Any leaf, root, fruit or flower that comes from a different plant is considered an herbal tea. “True teas” can be categorized into 5 major categories: white, green, oolong, black, pu-erh. Generally, categories are defined by how the leaf is processed, the cultivars used and how much a tea is oxidized. Black and pu-erh tea are fully oxidized, oolong tea is partially oxidized and green and white teas are unoxidized.
GREEN TEA SALT 3 WAYS
By Suzanne Klein, Tea Foodie
Makes about 4 tablespoons, enough to fill a spice jar
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 tablespoons loose leaf green tea (try Gunpowder, Sencha or Jasmine)
- 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
PREPARATION:
For a finer salt blend, place the tea and salt in a spice grinder or mini food processor and blend until you reach desired consistency. For a coarse blend, use a large mortar and pestle to manually grind the tea and salt together. Store in a well-sealed spice jar.
TIPS:
Remember to play around with the ratios. Add even more tea if the salt is really strong, and vice versa.
VARIATIONS:
- Add a small amount of Szechwan peppercorns to the green tea and salt mix to add an interesting woody, citrus-y flavor to the blend. Don’t add too many; you don’t want to overpower the tea flavor.
- For a black tea salt, try using bergamot-infused Earl Grey or smoky Lapsang Souchong in place of the green tea.
USES:
Below are three quick and easy recipes for ways to use your new batch of green tea salt. Each recipe makes about 2 servings. And notice the use of coconut oil in all of these recipes. It’s my new favorite cooking oil. It’s incredibly flavorful and gives a little Asian flair to each dish. You could substitute clarified or regular butter if you don’t have a jar of coconut oil sitting around.
(1) GREEN TEA SALTED POPCORN
Pour 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil over 4 cups of popped corn. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of green tea salt over top. Toss, adjust seasoning as necessary, and serve.
(2) SOBA NOODLES TOSSED WITH GREEN TEA SALT
In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of coconut oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add ½ lb cooked soba noodles. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing frequently, until noodles are heated through and starting to brown. Remove skillet from heat, and toss noodles with 1 teaspoon of green tea salt and ¼ teaspoon of ground white or black pepper. Serve solo, or toss in some grated carrots, minced scallions, leftover roast chicken, or anything else you need to use up from the fridge. Serve warm or at room temperature.
(3) GREEN TEA SALT SEARED SCALLOPS
Divide about 1 teaspoon of green tea salt among 4 large scallops, coating the top and bottom of each scallop with the salt blend. If desired, add a dash of ground white, black or Szechwan pepper to the scallops as well. In a medium skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of coconut oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the seasoned scallops and cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes each side, so that each side gets a nice sear. Serve the scallops hot over a bed of either cold or quickly sautéed spinach, arugula or other hearty greens.
