GREEN TEA

Green tea is made solely from the leaves of Camellia sinensis that have undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Green tea originates in China and has become associated with many cultures throughout Asia. It has recently become more widespread in the West, where black tea is traditionally consumed. Green tea has become the raw material for extracts which are used in various beverages, health foods, dietary supplements, and cosmetic items. Many varieties of green tea have been created in countries where they are grown. These varieties can differ substantially due to variable growing conditions, horticulture, production processing, and harvesting time.

Over the last few decades green tea has been subjected to many scientific and medical studies to determine the extent of its long-purported health benefits, with some evidence suggesting that regular green tea drinkers may have a lower risk of developing heart disease and certain types of cancer. Although green tea does not raise the metabolic rate enough to produce immediate weight loss, a green tea extract containing polyphenols and caffeine has been shown to induce thermogenesis and stimulate fat oxidation, boosting the metabolic rate 4% without increasing the heart rate.

According to a survey released by the United States Department of Agriculture in 2007, the mean content of flavonoids in a cup of green tea is higher than that in the same volume of other food and drink items that are traditionally considered of health contributing nature, including fresh fruits, vegetable juices or wine. Flavonoids are a group of phytochemicals in most plant products that are responsible for such health effects as anti-oxidative and anticarcinogenic functions. However, based on the same USDA survey, the content of flavonoids may vary dramatically amongst different tea products.

HISTORY

Tea consumption has its legendary origins in China of more than 4,000 years ago. Green tea has been used as both a beverage and a method of traditional medicine in most of Asia, including China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea and Thailand, to help everything from controlling bleeding and helping heal wounds to regulating body temperature, blood sugar and promoting digestion. A book written in the Tang Dynasty of China is considered one of the most important in the history of green tea. The book was written by Lu Yu and is called the “Tea Classic” or “Cha Jing”. It was written between 600 and 900 AD and spoke about exactly how and where one could enjoy a fine cup of green tea. The Kissa Yojoki (Book of Tea), written by Zen priest Eisai in 1191, describes how drinking green tea can have a positive effect on the five vital organs, especially the heart. The book discusses tea’s medicinal qualities, which include easing the effects of alcohol, acting as a stimulant, curing blotchiness, quenching thirst, eliminating indigestion, curing beriberi disease, preventing fatigue, and improving urinary and brain function. Part One also explains the shapes of tea plants, tea flowers, and tea leaves, and covers how to grow tea plants and process tea leaves. In Part Two, the book discusses the specific dosage and method required for individual physical ailments.

BREWING AND SERVING

Steeping is the process of making a cup of tea; it is also referred to as brewing. In general, two grams of tea per 100ml of water, or about one teaspoon of green tea per five ounce cup, should be used. With very high-quality teas like gyokuro, more than this amount of leaf is used, and the leaf is steeped multiple times for short durations.

Green tea steeping time and temperature varies with different tea. The hottest steeping temperatures are 81°C to 87°C (180°F to 190°F) water and the longest steeping times two to three minutes. The coolest brewing temperatures are 61°C to 69°C (140°F to 160°F) and the shortest times about 30 seconds. In general, lower-quality green teas are steeped hotter and longer, while higher-quality teas are steeped cooler and shorter. Steeping green tea too hot or too long will result in a bitter, astringent brew, regardless of the initial quality. It is thought that excessively hot water results in tannin chemical release, which is especially problematic in green teas, as they have higher contents of these. High-quality green teas can be and usually are steeped multiple times; two or three steepings is typical. The steeping technique also plays a very important role in avoiding the tea developing an overcooked taste. The container in which the tea is steeped or teapot should also be warmed beforehand so that the tea does not immediately cool down. It is common practice for tea leaf to be left in the cup or pot and for hot water to be added as the tea is drunk until the flavour degrades.

FEATURED INGREDIENT :  SAFFRON - THE WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE SPICE

Saffron is derived from the Saffron Crocus Flower species Crocus sativus which belongs to the Iris Family Iridaceae. The parts used for culinary purposes are the stigma or style: the central yellow threads which are, in fact, the female sexual organs of the flower. As there are very few stigma in any one flower, it takes 150,000 flowers to produce one kilogram of dried saffron, making it the most expensive spice in the world.

Origin and History of Saffron

Saffron probably first appeared  in Crete, Greece. An origin in Western or Central Asia has been disproved by botanical research and there is evidence that it was used in Ancient Mesopotamia (now Iraq) over 5,000 years ago and  as Saffron is the triploid form of a species found in Eastern Greece, Crocus cartwrigthianus  this would prove very ancient trade between the Eastern Mediterranean and Mesopotamia.

The Ebers Papyrus (Ca 1550 BC)  mentioned it as an ingredient in remedies for kidney problems and  is well documented in the Bhavprakash Nikhantu, the Ayurvedic Bible which is as old as the Indian culture for healing a variety of diseases and the Greeks considered saffron to be the essence of youth and life, whilst the Ancient Chinese attributed saffron with considerable medicinal properties and drank it as a tea for almost any ailment.

Because of the high cost and labour intensive means of gathering Saffron, it has led to unscrupulous merchants “doctoring” pure saffron, adding safflower or marigold petals, or soaking the real threads in oil to add weight. In fact in the 1400’s in Germany,  rigid  inspections became the practice, the penalty for falsification being just as harsh with the guilty parties burned alive with their false saffron.

Today, saffron is cultivated from the Western Mediterranean to India. Spain and Iran are the largest producers, accounting for more than 80% of the world’s production.

Cultivation of Saffron

Whilst it is possible to grow saffron yourself, we recommend that unless you can be 100% sure of the corms you are buying, you don’t attempt it due to the similarity of the saffron crocus to the autumn crocus Colchicum spp,  the latter being poisonous if eaten.

Commercially grown saffron is produced from corms as the plants are sterile and don’t produce seeds. These are divided after the plant dies back once it has flowered. Each crocus corm produces two to nine flowers per season, and each flower has three long red-orange stigma branches, attached together at the base.  The stigma are hand harvested in the Autumn during the short flowering season.

Cooking with Saffron

Saffron is used all over the world  to flavour and colour foods from Spanish paella to French bouillabaisse to Arabic lamb and chicken dishes to Indian dessert sauces, as well as in many Swedish and Cornish recipes, but as it’s such an expensive spice, it’s important to get every bit of flavour out of it. This can be achieved by either toasting and powdering the threads or steeping the saffron ahead of time in hot water or broth.

To Toast Saffron threads, place the strands in a dry frying pan  about 30 seconds only  or until they begin to give off an aroma. Be very careful not to burn them. Cool and crush finely between two spoons. They can also be dried out in a microwave, again for 30 seconds on high.  You can buy ready powdered saffron.

When using whole threads,  steep them in hot water for at least 15 minutes to extract as much flavour as possible. The longer better - up to 4 hours. If using alcohol, there’s no need  to heat it. Always store  saffron in an airtight container in a dark place so it stays viable for longer. You can also buy liquid saffron.

RECIPE WITH SAFFRON

Paella a la Valencia

From the Valencia Region in Eastern Spain 

Ingredients:

10 Saffron Strands

3 Rashers Back Bacon

175g/6oz Boneless Chicken Breasts

60ml/2fl.oz. Olive Oil

225g/8oz Onions, thinly sliced

1/2 Green Capsicum, (sweet pepper) 

1/2 Red Capsicum (sweet Pepper)

2 Garlic Cloves, crushed

4 Tomatoes, chopped

250g/9oz Short Grain Rice

125g/5oz Sea Bass, cut into chunks

250g/9oz Squid

8 Live Mussels

8 Live Clams

200g/7oz Frozen Peas

12 Raw Unpeeled Prawns

3 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped

600ml/1pt Chicken Stock

3 tbsp Dry White Wine

Instructions

1. Bring the stock to the boil, stir in the saffron and set aside until needed. Cut the bacon into 12mm/1/2 inch strips and cut the chicken into 2.5cm/1 inch cubes.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large pan, add the bacon and chicken and lightly brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

3. Add the remaining oil to the pan, then add the onions, peppers and garlic, and cook over a low heat for 10-15 minutes until they are softened but not coloured.

4. Stir in the tomatoes, bring the mixture to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for a further 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until some of the liquid from the tomatoes has evaporated and the mixture has thickened slightly.

5. Stir in rice, add the chicken, bacon, stock and salt and bring to the boil. Then reduce the heat , cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 25 minutes without disturbing.

6. Meanwhile, clean the squid and cut pieces. Scrub and debeard the mussels.

7. At the end of the 25 minutes cooking time, add the bass, squid, mussels, clams, wine and peas to the rice and cook t for a further 10 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the stock and the mussels have all opened (discard any that remain closed). If the mixture sticks to the pan, add a little water.

8. Season with plenty of black pepper, then scatter the whole prawns on top, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes more until all the prawns are heated through.  

9. Sprinkle the parsley over the paella and serve immediately.

Serves 4

(Source: recipes4us.co.uk)