Cooking with tea as a herbal ingredient is something I have worked on for many years as culinary ambassador for Dilmah Tea. This simple recipe is healthy with clean, fresh flavours highlighted with Ceylon green tea. Ochazuke is a traditional Japanese dish of rice and salmon topped with tea.

OCHAZUKE WITH CEYLON GREEN TEA

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

1 x 200g portion of salmon

1 cup cooked Japanese short grain rice or sushi rice

Wasabi (optional, for taste)

1 tsp Bubu arare (crispy puffed rice pearl crackers) (or use Japanese rice crackers)

¼ tsp white sesame seeds (roasted/toasted)

½ tsp soy sauce (optional)

1 tsp Kizami Nori (shredded seaweed)

1 tsp finely sliced spring onion or Japanese parsley (Mitsuba)

Pinch of Ceylon green tea as a garnish

2 tsp Ceylon green tea

500ml boiling water

½ teaspoon of dashi powder

2 drops of sesame oil

METHOD

Dice the salmon into 1cm cubes and mix with Babu arare, white sesame seeds and soy sauce.

Place the rice into two bowls and add a small amount of wasabi on top of the rice.

Divide into two and place the salmon mixture on top.

Garnish with Kizami nori, Japanese parsley and a sprinkle of crushed tea on top

Bring the water to the boil, add the tea and brew for 2 minutes, strain and add the dashi powder. Add 2 drops of sesame oil and salt if required.

Pour into the bowls of rice and salmon and serve hot.