Whether you enjoy tradition or ready to go BOS exploring the new and unknown, we’ve got good news: you don’t have to choose with rooibos! Healthy, tasty organic rooibos tea is your ultimate secret ingredient. Of course, you can enjoy it as a traditional hot drink. But why not treat your taste buds to a wild ride in the kitchen?
It’s time to step up your cooking game by giving even the humblest recipes a rooibos twist. Today, we explore four ways organic rooibos tea can infuse flavour – and health benefits – into an array of dishes.
Why Use Organic Rooibos Tea in Cooking?
Rooibos is filled with antioxidants, minerals, and electrolytes that help fight diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. This superfood helps control blood pressure, keeps teeth and bones strong, and even slows down ageing. The wonders of rooibos are truly incredible!
1. Rooibos Tea Acts as an Organic Meat Tenderiser
Among rooibos tea’s most surprising qualities is its ability to act as a natural meat tenderiser. This means you can whip up a wonderful marinade for all kinds of proteins, from chicken and beef to lamb, pork, and even ostrich. Try it for yourself – you should notice a difference in texture and taste.
Tender Rooibos-Marinated Chicken
Ingredients:
- 250 ml rooibos tea
- 1 kg chicken portions
- 1 tsp ginger, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 4 tbsp tomato sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
Method:
- Mix all ingredients, aside from chicken, in bowl until well combined.
- Score chicken portions, allowing marinade to seep into meat for maximum flavour.
- Place chicken into container and cover in marinade. Let it marinate for at least two hours or up to 24 for more intense flavour.
- After marinating, remove chicken portions, place into an ovenproof tray and grill for 45 minutes to an hour at 180 °C or until cooked through.
2. Organic Rooibos Tea Infuses Soups and Sauces with Goodness
In nearly all instances, you can substitute the milk or water in a recipe with organic rooibos tea for added wholesomeness. Its natural earthiness is a great addition to sauces and soups, making it an ideal base for dissolving stock cubes. You’re bound to love the depth and complexity it adds to everyday dishes.
Nutritious Chicken Soup with Rooibos
Ingredients:
- 2 l strong rooibos tea
- 250 ml water
- 5 sprigs rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 250 ml uncooked barley
- 3 skinless deboned chicken breasts
- 4 tsp olive oil
- 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 baby marrows, chopped
- 2 onions, chopped
- Lemon juice to taste
- Cracked black pepper to taste
Method:
- Heat olive oil in a large pot. Fry chicken breasts until brown, then spoon out and set aside.
- Add carrots, celery, baby marrows, and onions. Fry until brown.
- Add rooibos tea, water, bay leaves, rosemary, barley, chicken, and salt. Reduce heat.
- Simmer with lid on for 20 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. Remove meat and shred, leaving the rest of the ingredients to cook for another 40-45 minutes, or until barley softens.
- Once barley is soft, add chicken back and season to taste with lemon and pepper.
- Stir through the parsley and serve.
3. Rooibos Tea Is a Natural Sweetener
Many love rooibos for its natural sweetness. That’s why adding organic rooibos tea to your recipes is a great way to cut down on your sugar intake. Get the most flavour out of your rooibos by brewing it for longer – whether sipping it as a tea or using it as an ingredient in a dish.
Rooibos-Stewed Fruit
Ingredients:
- 1 rooibos teabag
- 500 ml boiling water
- 250 g dried fruit
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 strip of naartjie peel
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Method:
- Add dried fruit to a small pot, along with boiling water and rooibos teabag.
- Leave teabag to steep and fruit to soak for 15-20 minutes, then remove teabag.
- Add brown sugar, sea salt, cinnamon stick, and naartjie peel.
- Simmer for 15 minutes, or until fruit softens.
- Serve as breakfast with granola, a companion to grilled meat, or a dessert with custard.
4. Organic Rooibos Tea Adds Flavour
Some describe rooibos as having a slightly smoky taste, so it’s a natural next step to use the leaves for smoking protein. You can do this in various ways – using a smoker, the stovetop or the oven – and with almost every type of meat.
Stovetop Smoked Snoek with a Rooibos Twist
Ingredients:
- Hay, for smoking
- 1 tbsp organic rooibos tea leaves, for smoking
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1 lemon’s zest
- Sprig of rosemary
- 120 g snoek fillet, cut in two
Method:
- Prepare snoek cure by blitzing salt, sugar, lemon zest, and rosemary together in blender.
- Coat snoek flesh with cure blend. Allow to rest in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
- Place a handful of hay on foil-lined wok. Sprinkle over rooibos tea leaves and set the stove to moderate heat until it begins smoking.
- Remove excess cure from snoek fillets, then place them inside bamboo steamer, over the wok.
- Put lid on steamer and lower heat. Smoke snoek until cooked through, turning fillets at around 15 minutes.
- Remove skin and bones, flake fish and serve with your choice of sides.
BOS Organic Rooibos Tea: More Than a Drink
If rooibos is already a staple in your kitchen, you’re in for a thrilling culinary adventure! Dive into these recipes to unlock a world of flavour possibilities. Trust us: your taste buds – and kitchen – will never be the same again. Go BOS and let the foodie fun begin!
Stock Up on BOS Online
Shop BOS online for our tried-and-true original organic rooibos tea, flavoured varieties, sparkling ice teas, and beyond. Whichever way you enjoy your rooibos, we’ve got you covered!
