We all know how satisfying it can be to sit down with a cup of your favourite loose leaf tea at the end of a hectic day, but have you ever thought about putting it to good use in the kitchen?Tea is a versatile ingredient that can be used to add interest to your home cooking - we've put together some ideas for putting something a little extra special into your dishes.
Jasmine tea rice
Rice can be pretty bland on its own, but with a jasmine tea bag you can make sure that your rice is never boring again! While your rice is boiling away in the pan, just drop in a tea bag and allow the water to infuse - the length of time you leave it in for will depend on how strong you want the flavour to be.
Earl Grey shortbread
Tea can also be a great addition to shortbread - because Earl Grey has floral undertones, it works perfectly with the buttery taste. All you need to do is add the loose leaf tea to your mixture and let it work its magic!
Tea smoked salmon
You might have been to a restaurant and seen tea smoked salmon on the menu - the good news is that this is a dish you can easily recreate at home. The trick to this dish is to use distinctive flavours such as Earl Grey or oolong tea, which will gently infuse the fish. Line a wok with some foil and place rice, sugar and tea in the bottom - put the fish on a rack above it and seal the wok until cooked. This method substitutes the traditional wood chips with tea, giving you a dish that is sure to impress even the most distinguished of guests.
