https://chaandme.com/tags/how-to/Recent content in How-To on Tea & MeHugoenTue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0800https://chaandme.com/tea-cuisine/beginner-guide/Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0800https://chaandme.com/tea-cuisine/beginner-guide/<h2 id="what-is-tea-cuisine-anyway">What Is Tea Cuisine, Anyway?</h2> <p>You probably think of tea as something you <em>drink</em>. That makes sense — most of us do. But tea has been used as a cooking ingredient for centuries across Asia, and the concept is beautifully simple: treat tea leaves like you would any aromatic herb or spice.</p> <p>Tea cuisine (茶菜, <em>chá cài</em>) means using tea as a <strong>seasoning</strong> — not just a brewing liquid — to infuse dishes with its distinctive aromas, flavors, and even colors. Think of the smoky depth of Lapsang Souchong in a braised pork belly, the floral lift of jasmine rice, or the delicate green tea notes in a steamed fish. Tea can be used dry (ground into a rub), wet (steeped as a broth), or even smoked (burned to produce fragrant smoke).</p>