5 Spice Tea Food

FIVE-SPICE TEA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 6-cup loaf pan and line it with waxed or parchment paper.
• Sift together the baking powder, baking soda, salt, flour, five-spice mixture, and ginger. In a medium bowl, mix the tea and applesauce. In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the eggs and sugar until very light and fluffy. With the mixer running at medium speed, drizzle in the oil and mix. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and 1/3 of the tea-applesauce mixture and mix. Repeat twice more, using up all the ingredients. The batter will be somewhat thin. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until firm to the touch and split on the top, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 70 to 90 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack and let cool 30 minutes, then turn the cake out onto the rack, peel off the paper, and let cool.

BENGALI 5-SPICE

Steps:

• Combine the cumin seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, oregano, and fenugreek seeks in a non-stick skillet over medium heat; roast the spice mixture until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Spread the spices onto a large platter to cool completely. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

FIVE-SPICE CHILE-TEA RUBBED PARTRIDGE WITH GRILLED FENNEL AND WILD MUSHROOM ORZO 'RISOTTO'

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the tea, salt, chile flakes, chipotle, garlic, cayenne pepper, green onion flakes, Chinese five spice, and lime zest. Coat both sides of the partridge with the tea spice, reserving 1 tablespoon for the fried mushroom garnish.
• Slice the fennel bulb lengthwise, brush with the grapeseed oil, and season with the salt and pepper. (If fennel bulb is very large, pre-blanch it in boiling salted water for 5 minutes so it doesn't burn on the grill before being cooked through.)
• Place the partridge and the fennel side by side on a hot, well-oiled grill, and cook for about 8 to 12 minutes a side. Be careful to move the partridge around if/when there are flare-ups.
• Plating: On a large platter place a small mound of the 'risotto' in the middle of the bowl. Place bird on top and arrange the fennel around the bird. Drizzle with the truffle oil and garnish with crispy chanterelles and chopped scallions.
• Beverage: Brickhouse Gamay-Noir
• Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the grapeseed oil and swirl to coat the pan. When the oil shimmers add the shallots, garlic, and orzo. Saute, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes.
• Add a ladleful of the stock and continue to cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed. Add more stock and continue to cook and stir, allowing each addition of stock to be absorbed before adding the next, until the orzo is cooked through and has a creamy, risotto-like consistency, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add mushrooms and stir to heat through. Season with the salt and pepper, to taste.
• Toss the flour with a tablespoon of the remaining tea spice mix. Toss the remaining cup of chanterelles in the flour to coat them lightly, then deep fry in hot canola oil for 1 to 2 minutes until brown and crisp on the edges.

CHINESE TEA EGGS (W/ SOFT AND HARD BOILED EGGS, 茶叶蛋)

Steps:

• Mix all the marinade ingredients in a small pot. Cook over medium heat until bringing to a boil. Turn to medium-low heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pot from your stove and let cool completely. Once done, remove and discard the tea bags.
• To boil the eggs, heat a pot of water (enough to cover all the eggs) over high heat until boiling. Turn to low heat. Carefully place the eggs in the pot using a ladle, to prevent the eggs from cracking.
• Boil 5 minutes for soft-boiled eggs, 7 minutes for medium eggs, or 10 minutes for hard-boiled eggs.
• While cooking the eggs, prepare an ice bath by combining ice and tap water in a big bowl.
• Once the eggs are cooked, immediately transfer them to the ice bath to cool for 2 to 3 minutes. If you don't have ice on hand, simply run cool tap water over the eggs for a couple minutes until they cool down.
• Gently crack the eggs using the back of a spoon. You want to make sure the egg shells are cracked enough so the marinade will reach the interior, without cracking the eggs apart (especially if you made soft boiled eggs). If you're in a hurry, you can also peel the eggs and marinate them peeled. The eggs will be ready in 12 hours this way.
• Transfer the eggs to a quart-size ziplock bag, then carefully pour in the marinade along with the dry ingredients. Marinate overnight for peeled eggs, or 24 hours for cracked "marble" eggs.
• Peel the eggs and enjoy them cold or at room temperature!
• You can store the leftover eggs in the marinade for 4 to 5 days in the fridge. The marinade will help with preserving the eggs. Note, the eggs will become more flavorful and saltier over time.

5-SPICE TEA

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in saucepan.
• Add tea leaves and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Place milk in microwavable container and microwave until steaming.
• Add milk to tea mixture, and stir in 5-spice powder. Simmer 1 minute.
• Strain tea into mugs, or refrigerate for iced tea. (strain into glasses over ice).
• Sweeten to taste, with sweetener of choice.

CHINESE TEA EGGS (MARBLED EGGS)

Steps:

• Clean the eggs and then place in a deep sauce pot. Add enough cold water to cover. Start with medium fire, bring the content to a boiling and then let it simmer for 4 to 5 minutes (hard boiled based on how soft you want the yolk to be). | for soft boiled eggs, place room temperature eggs gently with a help of strainer in boiling hot water, cook for 6 minutes. Transfer to cold or chilled water to cool down completely and then crack the eggs with a scoop carefully.
• Transfer to cold or chilled water to cool down completely and then crack the eggs with a scoop carefully. Place the eggs in a pot with a lid.
• In another the pot, add all seasoning (bay leaves, star anises, cassia bark, fennel seeds, salt and sugar ). Pour in around 800ml water and bring to a boiling, add tea leaves and simmer for 10 minutes.
• For hard boiled eggs| pour the liquid to the the pot with cracked eggs. Soak overnight with lid covered. For soft boiled eggs| wait until the liquid becomes room temperature and then pour the liquid to soak the eggs overnight with lid covered.
• Re-heat if necessary or serve directly with noodles, porridge or other food.

5-SPICE TEA

Steps:

• 1. Bring water to a boil in saucepan. Add tea leaves and simmer for 10 minutes.
• 2. Place milk in microwavable container and microwave until steaming.
• 3. Add milk to tea mixture, and stir in 5-spice powder. Simmer 1 minute.
• 4. Strain tea into mugs, or refrigerate for iced tea. (strain into glasses over ice).
• 5. Sweeten to taste, with sweetener of choice.

HOW TO MAKE FIVE-SPICE POWDER

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a dry skillet or wok, toast the Sichuan peppercorns by shaking the pan over low to medium heat until the aroma of the peppercorns is released. This will take around 3 minutes.
• Grind the toasted peppercorns and the star anise in a blender, pepper mill, or spice grinder .
• Pass the blended seasonings through a fine-mesh strainer so you are left with an even consistency.
• Mix in the ground cloves, ground cinnamon, and ground fennel seeds.
• Place the mixture back into the blender, mill, or spice grinder and grind the spices until very fine.
• Store in an airtight container and keep in a dark, cool space until use.

FIVE-SPICE TEA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Butter a 6-cup loaf pan and line it with waxed or parchment paper.
• Sift together the baking powder, baking soda, salt, flour, five-spice mixture, and ginger.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the tea and applesauce.
• In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the eggs and sugar until very light and fluffy.
• With the mixer running at medium speed, drizzle in the oil and mix.
• Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and 1/3 of the tea-applesauce mixture and mix.
• Repeat twice more, using up all of the ingredients.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until firm to the touch and split on the top, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, 70 to 90 minutes.
• Set the pan on a wire rack and let cool 30 minutes, then turn out onto the rack, peel off the paper, and let cool.