Cooking with Green Tea for Health Benefits and Flavor
When I prepare a meal, first of all I want it to taste good. My second consideration is to make sure it’s as nutritious as it is delicious. Cooking with green tea helps me achieve that goal. It allows me to reap the many health benefits associated with the consumption of this ancient drink. It’s an easy way to increase antioxidant levels in food.
Green tea has a mild flavor that pairs well with many foods. It is a great medium for poaching fish; a technique that is very common in Asian countries. My favorite fish to poach is salmon. I always end up with perfectly cooked, tender steaks with the added health benefits of green tea.
What you will need for two servings:
2 wild salmon fillets, 4 to 6 ounces each
2 cups of filtered water
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 small bunch of fresh thyme
2 tablespoons loose green tea
1 teaspoon sea salt
Addresses:
Combine the water, ginger, thyme, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and cover. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Reheat to about 180 degrees F. Don’t have a thermometer handy? Look for small bubbles that form at the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat, add green tea, and steep for 2-3 minutes.
Strain the mixture into a small skillet over medium heat. Place the salmon fillets in the pan, skin side down. Let cook for about 7 minutes (depending on desired doneness), occasionally pouring the hot liquid over the top of the fillets. Serve with lemon wedges and steamed vegetables.
Variations and tips
Time and temperature are two very important considerations when brewing any type of tea. There are a myriad of flavor compounds lurking in green tea. The most desirable are extracted quickly and at a relatively low temperature. The less sought after compounds, which lead to a grassy taste, are only obtained through higher temperatures and longer brew times.
Try adding different spices to the poaching liquid. My favorites for salmon include cardamom, mace, and cloves.
You can double the poaching liquid and freeze half for a quick and healthy dinner on hand. Just don’t reuse the liquid the fish has been in.
This technique works well with any oily fish. Try the fresh tuna, mackerel, or trout.
