Thunder Tea Rice Soup (Clear Soup)

Again, this is the improvised version of the thunder tea rice soup. The traditional way of making this soup is much more complicated, by using wooden pestle to grind all the ingredients until powdery. Then, hot water is poured into these ingredients like groundnuts, sesame seeds, green tea leaves, coriander, ngai etc. We just don’t have the luxury of the time!

What I did was, place the basic ingredients like basil leaves, mint leaves, coriander, and ginger with water in pot and bring to a boil to extract their contents, then mixed with green tea powder and the rest of the ingredients. It is easier, isn’t it?

Some herbs had been left out in this recipe, due to the difficulties in getting them. If you can’t find basil leaves, you can consider by replacing more mint leaves and coriander.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 8 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 50g-75g basil leaves (stems removed before weighing)
° 50g mint leaves (stems removed before weighing)
° 1 stalk (25g) coriander, with root
° 2 slices ginger
° 500ml water
° salt, to taste
° ½ teaspoon green tea powder, or to taste
° 1-1½ teaspoons roasted/toasted sesame seeds, finely pounded
° 1-1½ teaspoons peanut powder (optional)

Method
1. Place the basil leaves, mint leaves, coriander, ginger and water in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Remove all the ingredients with a slotted spoon and discard.
2. Season to taste with salt. Stir in the green tea powder, sesame seeds, peanut powder and mix well.
3. Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls, sprinkle few sesame seeds and serve hot.

Thunder Tea Rice

I like the simplicity and high nutritious value of the Hakka Thunder Tea Rice (Lei Cha), which promotes good health – prevention of fatigue, hypertension, ease digestion, inhibiting cancer cell growth, boost relaxation, improve good sleep and so on and so on.

My attempts in looking for the thunder tea rice recipe was of no avail, therefore I decide to come up this recipe. This is the recreation of what I had tasted and don’t be scared by the long list of ingredients and the cooking time. It is actually for a meal and anyone can just whip it up easily.

I like to mix the stir-fried vegetables with rice, something like the Korean Mixed Rice and drizzle with some chilli padi and light soy sauce. Yes, it is simple but just so delicious.

Preparation: 35 mins, Cooking time: 25 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 2 bowls rice or brown rice, cooked
° 2 teaspoons salted radish/chye poh (optional)

Toasted Peanuts
° 2-3 tablespoons peanuts

Stir-Fried Tofu
° 1 small (125g) beancurd/tofu, pat dried and diced
° 1 tablespoon olive oil

Stir-Fried Yard Long Bean
° 100g-150g yard long bean (Chinese long bean), finely sliced or chopped
° 1 clove garlic or l slice ginger, finely chopped
° ½ tablespoon olive oil
° salt, to taste

Stir-Fried Cabbage with Carrot
° 100g-150g cabbage, finely shredded
° 6 slices carrot, finely shredded
° 1 clove garlic or l slice ginger, finely chopped
° ½ tablespoon olive oil
° salt, to taste

Stir-Fried Spinach or Chye Sim
° 100g spinach or chye sim (Chinese flowering cabbage or choy sam), finely chopped
° 1 clove garlic or l slice ginger, finely chopped
° ½ tablespoon olive oil
° salt, to taste

Chilli Sauce
° 2 fresh red chilli padi, finely sliced
° 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
° dash sesame oil (optional)

Method

Toasting Peanuts
1. Heat a wok over medium, then add raw peanuts and stir occasionally. When the peanuts are 75% darken, transfer to a plate and leave to cool. Remove the skin of the toasted peanuts by rubbing against with your hand. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Stir-Fried Tofu
1. Heat oil in a wok. Add the tofu and pan fry till lightly brown. Drain well on kitchen paper and set aside.

Stir-Fried Yard Long Bean
1. Heat oil in a wok. Add the garlic or ginger and fry till fragrant.
2. Add the yard long bean and stir-fry briskly for 1½ -2 minutes. Season to taste with salt, transfer to a dish and set aside.

Stir-Fried Cabbage with Carrot
1. Heat oil in a wok. Add the garlic or ginger and fry till fragrant.
2. Add the cabbage, carrot and stir-fry briskly for 1½ -2 minutes. Season to taste with salt, transfer to a dish and set aside.

Stir-Fried Spinach or Chye Sim
1. Heat oil in a wok. Add the garlic or ginger and fry till fragrant.
2. Add the spinach or chye sim and stir-fry briskly for 1½ -2 minutes. Season to taste with salt, transfer to a dish and set aside.

To serve
1. Place a bowl of rice in the middle of the plate. Divide the stir-fried vegetables equally between each individual bowl, placing them side by side. Top it with salted radish and peanut.
2. Serve with a plate of finely sliced red chilli padi with light soy sauce and a bowl of thunder tea rice soup.