Green tea

Green tea is a beverage that gained popularity as a weight loss or health drink and is now religiously consumed by many as a part of their morning or exercise routine. Green tea is much lighter in comparison to black tea and has a light greenish- yellow color in the cup. This tea has a low caffeine content. The tea leaves undergo a slightly different process than what it takes to make black tea. To make green tea leaves, the leaves are plucked, withered and rolled but the difference is that these leaves are not oxidized thus preserving the green color and fresh taste of the leaves. The oxidation process is halted by applying heat to the leaves in the form of either boiling or pan-firing. It is of interest to take note that often the bud and the first two leaves are handpicked for this type of tea.

Pairing food with tea

As seen in the last blog, drinking tea is a very communal event and its joy is enhanced when shared with friends and family. Culturally, sharing food is also another event which brings the family together and thus, pairing tea with food makes it the perfect match. Britain has the traditional afternoon tea while Indians share tea over snacks and lots of laughter. Tea pairing with food has gained ground in the West and is today popular in many tearooms, boutiques and restaurants. 

The pairing of tea with food is often likened to wine because of it many flavors, notes, astringency and tartness. From sweet to savory, all kinds of flavors work in perfect harmony with the varying notes of green tea and this list will tell you which foods to eat when you sit down with a cup of tea next time!

Best food choices for green tea

Green tea is known for its subtle taste and light and refreshing flavor profile in comparison to other types of tea such as the many varieties of black tea. Vegetal green teas are enhanced when combined with seafood or light vegetables and pair beautifully. Smoky green teas which include the Chinese green tea, have a slight smokiness in their flavor profile and thus pair well with fried foods such as a stir-fry or fried meat.

Green teas – the perfect companion to veggies

Green tea is versatile and can usually be consumed with almost any type of food but it is important to not pair it with a heavy meal. The reason behind not pairing it with a heavy meal is that the green tea may overshadow the taste of the dish which will lead to a terrible eating experience. One might notice that the Chinese usually consume green tea in large amounts with almost all their meals of the day.

Green tea, like it says in the heading itself, pairs wonderfully with green vegetables such as steamed vegetables, vegetarian sushi and other non meaty foods such as brown rice, noodles, stir fry, and salads. These foods naturally go well with the taste of green tea and enhance the subtle flavors. There are commonly three types of green tea which are used with different types of food for tea pairings. They are as follows

Vegetal Green Teas:

Vegetal green tea refers to any green tea that tastes like vegetables or grass and is generally paired with seafood because of this fresh and grassy flavor it has. This property of this green tea accentuates the flavor of the sea food and hence makes the seafood highly delicious. Thus, this type of green tea can be used with various varieties of seafood.

Smoky Green Teas:

This type of green tea has a smoky flavor in it. The examples of this are the strong teas such as the Japanese Gunpowder tea or the Chinese Precious Eyebrow. These green teas go beautifully with a variety of foods which are stronger in flavor than seafood but lighter than red meats and other foods with a heavy and strong flavor profile. These don’t go well with sweetened food as it tends to make the tea taste more bitter than it actually is and thus, one should avoid drinking this tea along with sweet food. Ideally, this tea should be combined with chicken, French fries, potato and other root vegetables. This can also be combined with your delicious pizza or lightly fried turkey.

Fruity Green Teas:

Fruity green teas are true to their name, sweet, fun and fruity. These green teas are best used with chicken and turkey which are usually light in taste. These are also popularly consumed in the form of iced tea due to their light natural sweetness and delicious flavor. They are often paired with salads such as vegetable salads, fruit salads, sandwiches, unsweetened pastries of all kinds like croissants, whole-wheat bread and panini’s and are a yummy drink for a hot summer evening.

Now that you know what goes best with green tea, test out these pairings and let us know how you like them! Our Meghalayan green tea is a vegetal green tea, pair it with your favorite seafood dish!