Sarah from Simply Cooked was our November Daring Cooks’ hostess, and she challenged us to create something truly unique in both taste and technique! We learned how to cook using tea with recipes from Tea Cookbook by Tonia George and The New Tea Book by Sara Perry.

I love teas, but I have never cooked with them, so this challenge was perfect for me, especially with examples given like:

• Tea-Braised Chicken
• Chai Tea and Ginger Simmer Chickpeas
• Pasta Salad with Earl Grey Vinaigrette

Doesn’t that get your creative juiced flowing?  Yummy.

But lately my tummy has needed a little rest.  Fresh juices and smoothies have given me much of the rest I’ve needed, and I was able to find a gentle, soothing, tea-inspired meal to complete this challenge as well.

I made this Brown Rice and Green Tea Porridge by Just Hungry because of her description of the dish.  She explained that the Japanese have a tradition of eating rice porridge after the New Year’s feasting period, to rest the stomach and to bring the body back into balance.  Since that is exactly what I was after, I knew I had found the answer to my challenge.

With these simple ingredients, how could the belly not be happy?

The secret to the unique flavor of the porridge is cooking the brown rice and lentils with green tea bags.

Simmer for an hour for a gentle meal that has a subtle green tea flavor.

You must have some right off the stove, but the leftovers are wonderful reheated.

Brown Rice and Tea Porridge with Lentils

(renzu mame iri genmai chagayu)

by Just Hungry (original recipe here)

Ingredients:

• 1 c. brown rice
• 1/4 c. firm green or brown lentils
• 3 green tea bags
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Water

Directions:

1.  Rinse the brown rice in cold water.

2.  Put the rice in a heavy pan with 6 cups of water and salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to low, and add the tea bags and lentils.

3.  Cover with a lid, and let it slowly simmer for about an hour or more, stirring occasionally.

4.  Remove the tea bags. If the consistency is too watery for you, turn up the heat and simmer with the lid off, to allow some of the water to evaporate.

5.  Serve as is, for a very subtly flavored porridge, or mix in dried fruit, nuts, or seeds.

Yields 5-6 cups

Happy tummy.

Have you ever tried cooking with tea?