Three Easy Ways to Cook with Tea

Tea belongs at the table as well as in the cup. Its aroma can add a subtle layer to a recipe without turning the dish into a dessert or a strongly flavoured sauce. Start with a tea you already like drinking.

Replace a little water

Brew a light black tea and use part of it as the cooking liquid for rice or grains. Keep the infusion gentle: a very strong brew may become bitter when reduced. Taste the liquid before it goes into the pan.

Try a chilled fruit infusion

Steep white or floral tea, let it cool, then pour a small amount over sliced fruit. The tea should support the fruit rather than cover it. A short steep and a clean, unsweetened brew make it easier to judge the balance.

Build a simple marinade

Use cooled tea as one part of a marinade with ingredients you already enjoy. Prepare and store the food according to normal food-safety guidance; tea is a flavour ingredient, not a preservative.

Pairing is easiest when you compare aroma, sweetness and texture one change at a time.