Inspired by the #TEAityChat I co-hosted earlier this week, here’s an alternative choice from your usual chicken noodle soup for when you need a pick me up. I found that most people were asking about using the liquid from tea in a dish opposed to just the leaves. We later discussed that you can in fact use BOTH. I can not stress enough how simple this recipe is using Genmaicha — a delicate Japanese green tea layered with toasted and puffed rice. If it’s your first time trying to incorporate tea into your dishes than this is for you!

Recommended Listening: Sophisticated Indie on Songza

genmaichaINGREDIENTS

  • 4 cups water
  • 4 teaspoons of Genmaicha (I used this one from Seven Sisters Tea)
  • 2 cups cooked rice (brown or white..you decide!)
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 (5-oz) package dried mushrooms
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup green onions, sliced
  • fresh basil leaves (optional)

DIRECTIONS FOR GENMAICHA RICE SOUP

1. Heat the water in a large pot at medium-high.
2. Add the Genmaicha in before the water begins to boil and let it brew for three minutes. Remember, the leaves are very delicate so do not over steep or have the water temperature too hot as you can burn them and create a bitter taste.
3. Remove the leaves from the pot. You can use them to re-steep yourself a cuppa or find out many other ways to reuse your tea bags or tea leaves here.
4. Add the soy sauce and dried mushrooms. Remove from heat.
5. Whisk the two eggs and while broth is still at a near-boil, drizzle them in.
6. Portion out the rice into two bowls and layer the Genmaicha broth all over.
7. Garnish with green onions and the optional fresh basil leaves.
7. Sit back, relax & enjoy!
This post originally appeared on Lu Ann’s blog, The Cup of Life.