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For the last 5 years I’ve been experimenting with using green tea as an ingredient in my cooking. I started off simply by using green tea leaves that had been steeped just once. That got me some great results. I particularly liked the fresh spinach leaf flavor it imparts to my cooking be it a barbecue sauce or a salad side.  But over the last few months I’ve been finding myself using powdered green tea much more. It’s infinitely versatile and I’m really excited about some of the recipes that I’ve put together.

Powdered green tea is known as matcha in Japan. Most people associate it with the traditional Japanese tea ceremonies but it can also be used far more informally both as a beverage and in your cooking (see more about green tea over at the TeaLounge.) The best quality matcha has a bright green color. Just before harvest the tea bushes are shaded which encourages chlorophyll production. This gives the leaves that bright green color.

One of the most popular green tea recipes in my household is a simple matcha butter.  I use this as a marinade for many barbecue meats as well as on bread.  It’s incredibly easy to make. All I do is remove the butter from the refrigerator and let it soften for 10 to 15 min. Then it’s simply a matter of adding the matcha powder and blending this in. I add around 2% the weight of the butter. 

My other favorite is adding matcha powder to my bread dough to make a green tea flavored roll or loaf. I think sesame seeds go well with this so I normally sprinkle a few on the top.

And of course there is green tea ice cream. It really tastes fantastic. You can either add matcha as a seasoning or use it for the ice cream itself. I prefer the latter. All you need to do is mix the powder with hot water creating a paste which you’ve then fold into the ice cream mixture. It pairs beautifully with orange sections.

Well I hope that’s giving you some ideas for using green tea in your cooking. Not only does it taste great but you’ll be getting a rich shot off health giving antioxidants in each bite.