Green tea is the second most popular type of tea in the world. If you are not quite used to the flavour of pure green tea, or you simply want to add additional flavour notes, there are many condiments you can choose from. Chances are, you very likely already have them at home. So, what to add to green tea?
How to add condiments to green tea
Not all condiments will go well with all green teas. Some green teas, like Dragon Well, are very light and will taste better with no condiments. However, this doesn't mean you can't add any. Choose ingredients that are light and won't overpower the flavour of the tea. Other teas, such as Chun Mei, Gunpowder, or some Indian green teas, are stronger and deeper. Condiments with stronger flavour and more sweetness will be a perfect match for these teas.
What to add to green tea?
1. Fresh fruits
When you want to add a lot of flavour to green tea, fresh fruits are a brilliant choice. Many of them will add not only sweetness, but a rich, intense flavour too, and you can literally choose any fruit you want. Wash, peel and slice the fruit first, or if you are using berries or small fruits, gently crush them before steeping. Simply add them together with tea leaves and steep for 3 minutes. Because of their natural fresh flavour, fresh fruits are great for both lighter and stronger green teas. If you are adding them to flavoured teas, match the fruit with the flavour of the tea.
Try it with:
- Raspberries – washed and gently crushed
- Strawberries – washed and sliced
- Blueberries – washed and gently crushed
- Apples – washed and sliced
2. Flavour extracts
Adding a drop or two of flavour extract will give a lot of flavour to your tea. There are different flavour extracts. Some are intended for baking and don't contain a sweetener, and some are for sweetening drinks and contain a sweetener. Both will be great for adding flavour to tea. Start with a drop or two first and add more if needed. Some flavour extract may contain colouring and will change the colour of green tea. Because of their intensity, favour extract may work better with stronger pure teas.
Try it with:
- Almond extract
- Orange extract
- Pistachio extract
- Strawberry extract
3. Fresh vegetables
Steeping tea with vegetables may seem weird and even unappetizing, but it's actually great for adding flavour and freshness to pure green tea. Many green teas have a naturally fresh and light flavour, and so do many vegetables. That's exactly why they make a great pair. Always wash vegetables first and peel them if you need to. Choose vegetables that can be eaten raw. Fresh vegetables are great with lighter fruit teas.
Try it with:
- Cucumber – washed and sliced
- Carrot – washed and sliced
- Celery – washed and sliced
- Baby spinach – washed
Get inspired – Is cucumber tea tasty? Steeping 5 different vegetables with green tea.
4. Fresh herbs
Herbs are super popular for scenting water, and they go well with green tea too. Almost any herb will taste great with tea, and many of them can be used for making pure herbal infusions. What's great about adding fresh herbs is that they will add a lot of flavour but may provide additional potential benefits as well. Herbs will usually have an intense flavour, so you don't need to add more than a few leaves only. Depending on their intensity, they can go well with both lighter and stronger pure green teas.
Try it with:
- Rosemary
- Basil
- Mint
- Lemongrass
5. Dried fruits
If you like sweet teas, try steeping green tea with dried fruits. Dried fruits may not add as much fruity flavour as fresh fruits, but many of them they will add a delicious sweetness. To get the most out of dried fruits, chop them up first. Unlike fresh fruits, dried fruits won't get mushy, so you can even eat them after you finished your tea. Great with stronger pure teas and flavoured blends.
Try it with:
- Prunes
- Dates
- Raisins
- Pineapple chunks
6. Jam or jelly
Jam is not only great for scones but also a great sweetener for tea too. It's one of those ingredients almost everyone has at home. Adding a teaspoon or two will add flavour and sweetness and make your green tea truly irresistible. Adding jam is a wonderful way of adding more flavour to teas that are naturally more astringent or deep.
Try it with:
- Lemon jam
- Orange jam
- Apricot jam
- Pineapple jam
7. Honey
This condiment may seem obvious, but honey is not only a sweetener – it may also add some amazing flavours to green tea. There are hundreds of different honey out there, each having a different flavour profile. Some are lighter, such as acacia honey, and some may have a distinctive flavour, such as chestnut honey. Lighter honey will be better for lighter green teas, and darker honey may be a wonderful choice for stronger, deeper green teas.
Try it with:
- Eucalyptus honey
- Fir honey
- Chestnut honey
- Orange blossom honey
