Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). In a small bowl, combine the rice vinegar, sesame oil, chile paste, gingerroot, and lime juice. Place the shrimp in a large bowl and add half of the marinade. Mix well to coat the shrimp. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Reserve the remaining marinade.
Heat the coconut milk to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat until bubbling. Remove from the heat and add the light-brown sugar. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. Set the mixture aside to cool.
Place the cooked rice in a large bowl. Pour the coconut milk and sugar mixture over the rice and mix well. Add the chopped tea leaves and mix again.
Cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple with smooth, straight cuts, exposing the juicy, inner fruit. Carefully cut the pineapple in half lengthwise. Cut the fruit away from the shell of the pineapple (be careful not to damage the shell), leaving about ½ inch of fruit attached to the shell. Set the shells aside. Cut the trimmed pineapple fruit in half again, lengthwise. Cut off the fibrous core and discard it, leaving 4 trimmed pieces of fruit. Finely chop to obtain 2 cups. Save any remaining fruit for garnish and snacking.
Drain the juice from the chopped pineapple, add the fruit to the rice mixture, and mix well. Spoon the rice mixture into the reserved pineapple shells, mounding it slightly. Place the filled pineapple shells in an ovenproof baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 45 minutes, or until the rice is thoroughly heated. Remove the pineapple shells from the oven and set aside, covered, while you cook the shrimp.
Now set the oven temperature to broil. Remove the shrimp from the marinade, drain, and place on a lightly oiled broiler pan. Carefully broil the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning once, until evenly browned and slightly charred on both sides.
Place the broiled shrimp in a shallow bowl. Add half of the reserved marinade, mix well, and set aside. Uncover the pineapple shells and place them on a platter. Divide the rice among 4 plates and top with a serving of shrimp. Drizzle the remaining marinade over all and serve warm.
SHRIMP WITH LONGJING TEA
SERVES 4 TO 6
This specialty of the city of Hangzhou was created to feature that region’s famous Longjing (Dragon Well) tea. The tea’s slightly toasty flavor perfectly underscores the sweetness of the shrimp.
1 tablespoon Longjing tea leaves
1 cup water
2 tablespoons plus 1½ teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons ground white pepper
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and rinsed
2 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon aged rice vinegar
2 ounces fresh snow peas, strings removed
2 ounces green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces on the diagonal
¼ cup scallions, cut into ½-inch pieces on the diagonal
Place the tea leaves in a teapot or heatproof measuring cup. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then remove from the heat and let cool for 3 minutes. Pour the water over the tea leaves and brew for 3 minutes. Strain and reserve the tea leaves and the brewed tea liquor for later use.
Place 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch on a plate and add the white pepper. Mix well. Pat the shrimp dry and roll them in the mixture one at a time. Set aside.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Add 2 table-spoons of the peanut oil and heat for an additional 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and stir to prevent sticking. Cook the shrimp for 2 minutes, or until they turn pink and opaque. Quickly remove from the pan and drain the shrimp on paper towels.
Mix the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar in a bowl and set aside. Add a few tablespoons of brewed tea to the remaining 1½ teaspoons cornstarch and stir to make a smooth paste. Add ½ cup of the brewed tea and stir to dissolve. Set aside.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil to the pan and heat on medium-high for 30 seconds. Add the snow peas and green beans and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the cooked shrimp and scallions and heat for 1 minute. Add the reserved tea leaves and the oyster sauce mixture. Heat for 1 minute. Finally, add the tea and cornstarch mixture and cook for 1 minute, adding a few tablespoons of water to the sauce if it becomes too thick. Serve hot.
INDIAN BLACK TEA, CORN, AND MUSHROOM SOUP
SERVES 4
This flavorful and fat-free vegetarian soup features an infused tea–broth that is built on the strong, hearty flavor of Assam black tea. This recipe is very flexible, so use your favorite seasonal vegetables or add chunks of chicken or sliced scallops. Accompany with bowls of fragrant rice, which can be added to the soup if desired.
10 teaspoons (or 10 teabags) Assam black tea leaves
2 tablespoons dry whole green peppercorns
2 tablespoons whole green cardamom pods, crushed
1 (3-inch) knob of gingerroot, peeled and cut into thin slices
2 (5-inch) sticks Ceylon cinnamon, broken into pieces
4 whole star anise
10 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
3 ears sweet corn, husked and washed
3 medium-sized zucchini, washed and trimmed
1 pound white mushrooms, washed and cut into thin slices
1 large red pepper, cut into thin 1- to 2-inch slices
1 pound spinach, washed, trimmed, and finely chopped
1 lemon, seeded and thinly sliced
If using teabags, remove the string and tags. Make a cheesecloth bundle with the tea leaves, green peppercorns, cardamom, gingerroot, cinnamon, and star anise. Place the bundle in a stockpot with the water and bring to a boil.
Infuse the bundle for 4 minutes. Use a skimmer or small strainer to remove the cheesecloth bundle and discard. Add the salt and decrease the heat to low to keep the tea mixture warm.
Steam the sweet corn in a steamer or saucepan for 5 minutes. Place the corn on a cutting board and let cool for about 2 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut each ear of corn into 1½-inch-thick rounds and set aside. Cut each zucchini lengthwise into 4 pieces. Cut each quarter into 1½-inch lengths using a diagonal cut.
Increase the tea mixture heat to medium and add the corn. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and the red pepper and simmer for 2 minutes. Finally, add the chopped spinach and the lemon slices and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
SPICY OOLONG-SMOKED DUCK BREASTS
SERVES 4
These aromatic duck breasts are quite tasty. Leave the fat attached while you hot-smoke the breasts, but remove the fat before slicing. Use as a garnish for composed green salads, wild rice salads, or Asian noodle dishes.
4 duck breasts
Salt
2 ounces (½ cup) Hairy Crab or Tieguanyin Fujian oolong tea leaves
3 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
1 (5-inch) stick Ceylon cinnamon, broken into small pieces
1 teaspoon white peppercorns, crushed
6 whole star anise
¼ cup light-brown sugar
Sprinkle the duck breasts lightly with salt. In a small bowl, combine the tea leaves, Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon, white peppercorns, star anise, and brown sugar.
Line a wok or Dutch oven with tin foil and spread the tea and spice mixture on the tin foil. Fit the pan with a round rack that will elevate the duck breasts over the tea and spice mixture.
Place the duck breasts on the rack, fat side up, and cover the pan. Turn the heat to medium-high and after 2 or 3 minutes quickly lift the lid. The tea and spice mixture should be starting to smoke; if not, turn the heat up a little bit and check again in 1 or 2 minutes. Regulate the heat so that smoking occurs, but don’t let the tea and spice mixture burn.
Smoke the duck breasts for 45 to 90 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat. (Thick duck breasts, which are similar in size to large bone-in chicken thighs, take twice as long to smoke
as thin breasts, which are the size of small boneless chicken breasts.) Fully cooked duck breasts should be ruddy golden-brown in color, glistening on the outside and pinkish in color inside when fully cooked. Use an instant-read cooking thermometer to check the progress of the duck breasts; fully cooked duck breasts should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) after resting for 4 to 5 minutes.
After the duck breasts have rested, cut them into thin slices, and serve immediately.
GREEN TEA POT DE CRÈME
MAKES 6 (4-OUNCE) PORTIONS
To elicit an Asian mood, bake this delicious dessert in shallow rice bowls or in an assortment of colorful and shapely handle-less Japanese teacups.
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¾ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1½ teaspoons matcha powder
6 egg yolks, beaten
Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Place the cream in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat. Scald the cream until bubbles form around the edges and it is heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
In a small bowl, combine the sugar, salt, and matcha powder until well blended. Add this to the egg yolks and mix well. Add ¼ cup of the hot cream to the egg mixture, whisking vigorously. Add another ¼ cup of the cream and whisk again. Carefully pour this mixture and the remaining 1½ cups hot cream into a double-boiler or saucepan over medium heat and mix well. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, at about 170°F (77°C). Be careful not to let the custard boil or it will curdle. Remove the custard from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup.
Place 6 ramekins (or teacups or rice bowls) in an ovenproof baking dish and fill the ramekins three-quarters full with the custard mixture. Carefully pour the boiled water around the ramekins in the baking dish until the water rises three-quarters of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake the custards for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges of the custards are set and the tip of a knife inserted into the center of the custard comes out clean.
Place the custards on a cooling rack and loosely cover them with aluminum foil. Let them cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours. Remove 30 minutes before serving.
GREEN TEA CHIFFON CAKE WITH WALNUTS AND CRYSTALLIZED GINGER
SERVES 10
This lighter-than-air chiffon cake makes adults giddy with guilty pleasure. Perhaps it’s because the impressive cake size makes us all feel like children again. Or maybe it’s because the cake’s light and delicate texture encourages us to take a larger-than-usual slice. The matcha powder tints the cake a lovely pale green color and the walnuts and crystallized ginger add a crunchy, snappy texture and flavor that is a playful contrast to the sweet, tender cake.
CAKE
2½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup plus ¾ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
3 tablespoons matcha powder
½ cup chopped walnuts
3 ounces crystallized ginger, finely chopped
8 large eggs, separated
½ cup grapeseed or canola oil
¾ cup water
2 teaspoons lemon extract
Pinch of salt
GLAZE
1½ cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon corn syrup
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
1½ teaspoons peeled and grated gingerroot
2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Butter the inside of a tube pan and dust with a generous pinch of flour. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Measure out 2½ cups, then sift with ¾ cup of the sugar, the baking powder, and the matcha powder. Add the walnuts and crystallized ginger and mix well.
With an electric mixer beat the egg yolks with the oil, water, and lemon extract. Slowly add the flour in three batches and blend well. Place the egg whites in a dry mixing bowl and add the salt. Beat on low speed until frothy, then increase the speed to high until soft peaks form. Add the remaining ¾ cup sugar and beat until stiff and glossy peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter, incorporating just one-third of the egg whites at a time.
Carefully pour the batter into the tube pan. Gently tap the pan on a counter to level the contents and smooth the top of the batter. Place the cake in the oven and bake for about 1 hour, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. While the cake is baking, make the glaze.
To make the glaze: Sift the powdered sugar into a small bowl. Add the lemon and orange juices and mix well using a whisk until it thickens into a glaze. Add the corn syrup and continue to mix. Add the ground ginger and the gingerroot, mixing well after each addition. Set aside and cover to prevent the surface from forming a crust.
When the cake is finished baking, set the pan on a cooling rack for about 20 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake, then turn the cake out onto the cooling rack. Turn it back over to right side up. Let the cake cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Spread the glaze over the top of the cake. Let it drizzle over the edges and down the sides of the cake. Sprinkle finely chopped crystallized ginger over the top. After the glaze has set, carefully place the cake on a platter and serve.
LAPSANG SOUCHONG AND JASMINE TEA ICE CREAM
SERVES 8 TO 10
This exotic combination of flavors appeals to those seeking something out of the ordinary in their ice cream. Fujian Province is the historical home of both smoky Lapsang Souchong tea and elegantly perfumed jasmine teas. We blended the two into a rich custard-based ice cream, and the result was provocative and wonderful. Let the flavors meld for a day before serving, and you will be richly rewarded.
3 tablespoons Fujian Lapsang Souchong tea leaves
3 tablespoons Fujian jasmine tea leaves
3 cups milk
1 cup light-brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
8 large egg yolks, beaten
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Place the tea leaves, milk, light-brown sugar, and heavy cream in a saucepan over low heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat. Let the tea leaves infuse in the milk and cream for 4 to 6 minutes. Strain the liquid into another saucepan and set aside.
Whisk the egg yolks until well blended. Add the granulated sugar and whisk until incorporated. Add ¼ cup of the hot tea, milk, and sugar mixture to the eggs, whisking vigorously to keep the eggs from curdling. Repeat this step, adding another ¼ cup of the mixture to the eggs.
Now add this egg mixture to the pan of remaining hot tea and milk and continue whisking to avoid curdling. When the mixture is well blended, carefully pour the mixture into a double-boiler or return the saucepan to the stove. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring continuously, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Be careful not to let the custard boil or it will curdle.
Strain the hot mixture into a heatproof bowl and add the vanilla extract. Mix well. Allow the mixture to cool completely, about 20 minutes, then cover. Place in the refrigerator and let cool for at least 5 hours. After cooling, pour the mixture into an ice-cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 4 days. Allow the ice cream to soften before serving.
WHITE TEA SNOW SORBET
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART
This “snow” is excellent as either a dessert or a palate refresher between courses. This recipe is based on water, so if your tap water is not pure and good-tasting, u
se spring water. If you use a traditional budset white tea, this is a full ½ cup gently packed; if you use a new-style leaf white tea, this is a heaping, well-packed ½ cup (see “White Teas” in chapter 3 for information about the different types).
Garnish the sorbet with candied citrus peel, chopped crystallized ginger, a simple crisp cookie such as a crêpe dentelle, or a thin square of dark chocolate.
1½ cups plus 2 cups cold water
2 cups sugar
½ ounce (14 grams) white tea leaves
Freshly squeezed juice of ½ lemon (or 1 lime)
In a teakettle or saucepan over high heat, bring 1½ cups of the water to a boil, then remove from the heat and let cool to 165°F (74°C), about 7 minutes. Combine the remaining 2 cups water and the sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and simmer gently, uncovered, for 1 to 2 minutes, to completely dissolve the sugar. Pour the mixture into a 1-quart measuring cup and set aside to cool.
Steep the tea leaves in the 165°F (74°C) water, covered, for 3 minutes. Pour the brewed tea liquor through a strainer, reserving it and the budsets or leaf tea, and let both rest for 1 to 2 minutes. Recombine the once-brewed tea liquor with the budsets or leaf and steep again, covered, for a full 5 minutes.
Strain the twice-brewed tea liquor into the sugar syrup, and stir in the lemon juice. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. (Chilling longer than 4 hours improves the texture.)
Pour the mixture into an ice-cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 days. This snow melts rapidly, so scoop and serve quickly in chilled bowls.
The Story of Tea Page 46
