Spiced Herbs that Love Green Tea!
Makes 2 cups brewed green tea + 2 cups infused herbal tea with spices. According to your preference, why not try herbs such as spearmint, or berries with spices! Spice Herb & Green Tea or Berry Green Tea can be stored overnight in the fridge for enjoying cold or room temperature the next day.
Ingredients:
4 cups boiled water, divided — allow about 2 cups of the water to cool slightly for the correct temperature for the tea (about 160 to 175 degrees, in most cases)
2 teaspoons green tea or 3 tea bags
2 tablespoons herbs (nettles and spearmint go well with green tea)
2 teaspoons spices (choose 2 or 3 from fresh ginger, sliced, dried cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, clove buds, rose petals, lavender blossoms)
Optional citrus peel, about ½ teaspoon per cup
Equipment:
Kettle or pan to boil water
Teaspoons, tablespoons for measuring ingredients
Clean pan for decocting spices
3 heat-proof jars for brewing tea and infusing herbs
Large heat-proof jar for mixing the brewed and infused teas
Metal strainer for straining teas
Herbs Method:
For the spices: Spices are optional, but add complexity and intrigue. Before infusing the herbs, decoct or cook whole spices in simmering water for 5-10 minutes. Place 1 -2 slices of fresh ginger, 4-6 cardamom pods, ½ cinnamon stick, 1 – 2 clove buds into a clean pan, add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Allow the spices to decoct into the water and then use this water to infuse the herbs.
For the herbs: Into a clean heat-proof jar, pour herbs in the amount of 1 tablespoon per cup you wish to serve. (If you’re making 2 cups of herbal tea, you need 2 tablespoons of herbs.) Pour the spice water (above, if using) or near-boiling water over the herbs. If adding citrus peel, do so now. Cover and allow to infuse 5-10 minutes.
Open the jar and pour the water into a 2nd heat-proof jar, using a strainer to catch the herbs. Discard the herbs. Cover the jar containing the herb tea and set aside.
For the green tea: Into a clean heat-proof jar, pour tea leaves in the amount of 1 teaspoon per cup you wish to serve. (If you’re making 2 cups of green tea, you need 2 teaspoons of tea. If using teabags, plan on 3 teabags for 2 cups of tea.) Cover and allow to steep for the recommended time, or between 1 and 3 minutes.
Open the jar and remove the teabags, if using. With loose tea, pour the brewed tea over a metal strainer into a 2nd heat-proof jar, using the strainer to catch the tea. Discard the tea. Cover the jar containing the herb tea and set aside.
Of course, if using tea bags, simply brew the tea according to package directions, and then remove the teabags.
Blend the two teas: Pour the infused herbal tea into the large heat-proof jar. Pour the brewed green tea over the herbs and spices, and citrus peel if using. The two teas should blend automatically, but a simple swirl with a long-handled spoon should ensure that.
Your Green Tea is now ready to serve! Enjoy warm, or slightly cooled. This green-herbal tea is delicious cold. If saving for later, cap the heat-proof jar and store at room temperature for 1 – 2 hours, or in the refrigerator overnight. Pour into glasses and drink up!
Berry Green Tea Recipe
Berry Green Tea delivers a very subtle taste of berries and spices layered on the taste of green tea. Instead of herbs, use dehydrated strawberries and raspberries.
Berry Method
First, proceed with the recipe “For the spices” above. After spices have been cooked in water, turn off the heat and add crushed, dehydrated berries. Allow berries and spices to infuse 10 minutes. Then strain the spices and berry mass over a 2nd heat-proof jar as described in Herbs Method, above.
Pour the strained green tea over the spice-berry tea. Now your Berry Green Tea is ready to enjoy!
If you’re adventuring into new terroir with green tea, are learning to like it as a health adjuvant, or are just plain curious, see some interesting facts about Green Tea in this post.
