4 Festive Holiday Recipes You Can Make with Premium Chinese Tea

The season of sharing is here. It's the time for cosy gatherings, laughter, and plenty of good food. While dining out has its charm, nothing compares to the joy of sharing a home-cooked meal made with love. 

For us, tea has always been more than just a drink, it’s an essential part of our dining experience. Beyond sipping, we love bringing tea into the kitchen as a key ingredient in our dishes. 

We’ve curated a festive full-course menu that’s simple to prepare and elevated with a soothing twist: the delicate flavours of Chinese tea.

Recipe idea 1: Lapsang Souchong Sea Bream Capaccio

To start this festive evening, we have a fancy entrée of sea bream infused with our Lapsang Souchong. The tea’s rich aroma fills the room, blending naturally with the ocean’s freshness. On the palate, the fish reveals a delicate balance with a gentle infusion of kombu and subtle tea notes. A sip of the tea alongside the dish enhances and prolongs the umami, bringing everything together beautifully.

Ingredients:

• Sea bream (tai), sashimi-grade: 1 fillet

• Salted kelp (shio kombu):  a few tablespoons, finely chopped

• Tea leaves  of Lapsang souchong: 1–2 tablespoons 

• Perilla leaves (shiso): a few, finely sliced

• Myoga (Japanese ginger): 1, finely sliced

Steps

1. Prepare the marinade:
   Finely chop the salted kelp and mix it with the tea leaves.
   
   

2. Wrap the fish:
   Spread a layer of plastic wrap on your work surface.
   Scatter half of the kelp–tea mixture evenly over it.
   
   

3. Marinate:
   Place the sea bream fillet on top, then cover the fish evenly with the remaining kelp and tea leaves.
   Once the fish is fully coated, wrap it tightly in the plastic wrap.
   
   

4. Rest:
   Refrigerate the wrapped fish for 1 day to let the flavours infuse.
   
   

5. Prepare the garnish:
   The next day, finely slice the shiso leaves and myoga, and arrange them on a serving plate.
   
   

6. Slice and serve:
   Thinly slice the marinated sea bream and place the pieces over the garnish.
   Enjoy as is, or with a touch of soy sauce if desired.

Recipe  idea 2: Ochazuke infused with Long Jing

For the main course, embrace comfort and simplicity with Ochazuke. This Japanese classic is warm and satisfying without feeling heavy, making it the perfect dish to nourish both body and spirit during festive gatherings,  all with minimal effort in the kitchen. 

Here, broken Long Jing leaves are blended with dashi powder, adding subtle, nutty, and vegetal notes that deepen the otherwise salty, umami-rich broth. A hint of fresh sesame ties it all together with the rich salmon for a balanced, “come-together” flavour experience.

Ingredients for 2 servings 

• 1 cup rice

• Salted salmon

• 1 tsp furikake - if using salted salmon, it's better to avoid this as it could be too salty

• ¼ tsp toasted black & white sesame seeds

• 1 tbsp bonito flakes

• 1 tsp chopped spring onion

• A pinch of shredded roasted seaweed

• Broth - 2g of our Yuqian Long Jing + 1 packet dashi powder + 1 litre of boiling water

Steps

1. Marinate salmon with sake for 15 mins. Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel. Add & rub salt.

2. Let it marinate for a minimum of 2 days in the fridge. Air fry or grill in the oven for 10-15 mins (depending on the size of the fish). It should be cooked through completely. Smash into small pieces with a fork or chopsticks.

3. Place a smaller bowl of rice into a larger bowl. Layer with salmon, furikake, sesame seeds, bonito flakes, chopped spring onion & seaweed

4. Pour broth into rice, mix
   

*This recipe is from Leng Lui Cooks

Recipe  idea 3: Salted-baked eggs with Yancha  岩茶焗蛋

This special side dish is traditionally enjoyed as a snack alongside a long tea session. It uses a classic Chinese technique: salt baking, applied to Yancha (Da Hong Pao). The process, similar to the roasting of the tea itself, fills the kitchen with rich, aromatic notes. The roasted quail egg becomes a delicacy on its own: a light salt crust, complemented by tea syrup and leaves, enhances the egg with the minerality of Yancha and Dancong, subtle floral and fruity aromas, and the warm, baked scent of heavily roasted oolong teas, creating a deeply satisfying, tea-infused flavour.

Ingredients:

• Quail Eggs 

• Salts

• Da Hong Pao and duck shit dancong infused Gin– enough to make a ~1 cm layer in a baking tray

• Spices/aromatics

Steps

1. Wash the eggs and dry them thoroughly. Choose eggs without cracks.

2. In a frying pan, add salt and spices/aromatics and cook slowly for 1 minute.

3. Add used tea leaves to the pan and cook for a few minutes. Then, remove half of the leaves and spices. 

4. Place the eggs on top, spaced apart. Then cover the eggs with another layer of tea leaves. Cook them for 3 minutes with high fire and then turn down the heat, leave the lid on for 5 minutes (to cook the egg whites becoming solid)

5. After that, shake the egg in the pan for 3 minutes, so the shell cracks and allows the tea aroma/colour and taste to get through. 

6. Turn on the heat again and add a splash of the dancong-infused alcohol to the pan. Turn on very low heat and cover with a lid for 20 minutes. This step helps the egg absorb more tea flavour, and it adds a smoking step, increasing the flavours. 

7. Once done, allow it to cool down. Peel and serve. 

Recipe  idea 4: Black Sesame Tangyuan in Warm Matcha

To wrap this evening, we’re serving our favourite dessert, made with Chinese matcha. 

The chewy, nutty, tangyuan paired with the roasted chestnut aroma and gentle umami of Chinese matcha creates a comforting, tea-infused finale to your holiday meal, both grounding and indulgent.

Ingredients:

1. For the black-sesame filling

• 60 g toasted black sesame seeds. 

• 50 g granulated or caster sugar. 

• 85 g unsalted butter, softened.

• A small pinch of salt (to enhance flavour) - optional.
  

2. For the dough

• 200 g glutinous rice flour (also called sweet rice flour).

• 200 ml warm water (approximately 40°C) - adjust the temperature slightly until the dough is smooth and pliable. 

• Extra glutinous rice flour for dusting.

3. For the warm matcha

• 2- 3g of matcha

• 75-80ml of hot water (80°C)

Steps

Prepare the filling

1. Dry-toast the black sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for ~3-5 minutes until fragrant. This deepens the nutty flavour. 

2. In a food processor, grind the toasted sesame seeds together with sugar until a fine powder.

3. Add the softened butter (and salt if using) and pulse again until the mixture becomes a thick paste.

4. Transfer the filling paste to a bowl, cover and refrigerate (or freeze briefly) until it is firm enough to roll into small balls. 

5. Once firm, roll into small balls (approx 8-12 g each) and keep chilled.

Make the dough

1. In a mixing bowl, add the glutinous rice flour. Gradually add the warm water while stirring, until a rough dough forms. Then knead until smooth. 

2. Dust your work surface with a little flour. Divide the dough into equal pieces (matching how many filling balls you have). Flatten each piece into a disc.

3. Place one filling ball in the centre of each disc, then wrap the dough around it and roll gently into a smooth ball. Make sure the seam is sealed so the filling doesn’t leak.

Cook the tangyuan

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Gently drop in the tangyuan balls, stir briefly so they don’t stick. When they float to the surface (after ~2-4 mins), they’re done. 

2. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and set aside (or add them directly to the warm soup).

Make the warm matcha 

1. Pre-heat the matcha whisk and matcha bowl.

2. Whisk in the matcha powder until fully dissolved and smooth.

Serve

Place a few cooked tangyuan into a matcha bowl.

*This recipe is inspired by matchanomu

* You can also purchase pre-made Tangyuan from your local asian market.

Whether you’re spending this cosy season with your family, friends, or simply treating yourself, here is to uplift your mood and bring warmth and creativity to your festive cooking. A gentle reminder that even the smallest twist can make every moment more memorable.