Smoky Tea Stock

By Mark Bittman

Total Time: 15 minutes
Rating: 4(70)
Notes: Read community notes

Here’s the problem with homemade stock: It’s so good that it doesn’t last long. What’s needed is something you can produce more or less on the spot.

Although water is a suitable proxy in small quantities, when it comes to making the bubbling, chest-warming soups that we rely on in winter, water needs some help. Fortunately, there are almost certainly flavorful ingredients sitting in your fridge or pantry that can transform water into a good stock in a matter of minutes.

This recipe is meant to be fast, so by ‘‘simmer,’’ I mean as little as five minutes and no more than 15. You can season these stocks at the end with salt and pepper to taste, or wait until you’re ready to turn them into full-fledged soups. This one is a perfect broth for udon noodles.

Featured in: Simple Stocks for Soup on the Fly

Learn: How to Make Soup

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Ingredients

Yield:About 6 cups of stock

Sliced ginger
¼cup Lapsang souchong tea leaves (green tea is also good) or 4 tea bags
Soy sauce
Black pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Drop some sliced ginger into 6 cups water, bring to a boil, then turn off the heat.
Step 2
Let rest for a few minutes, then stir in ¼ cup Lapsang souchong tea leaves (green tea is also good). If you can’t find loose tea leaves, use 4 tea bags.
Step 3
Steep for 5 or 10 minutes, then strain. Season with soy sauce if you like, and add some black pepper.

Ratings

4 out of 5

70 user ratings

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Cooking Notes

Armidaorozco@gmail.com6 years ago

For what kind of soups is this stock used?

Caton5 years ago

"This one is a perfect broth for udon noodles."

Anne6 years ago

Used Russian Caravan (another smoky tea) and after done, added Pearl River Bridge mushroom soy.

Be careful as steeping tea too long, it will become bitter.

Great with udon noodles as Mr Bittman suggests. A light soup

Tim1 year ago

Comments here are funny. Made it just like the recipe said and threw some udon noodles in it. It wasn’t mind blowing, but for a quick dish it’s pretty much as simple as making some tea and noodles. It had a nice subtle ginger flavor that’ is still lingering as I write this 30 minutes after dinner. Will try again with some shrimp or little bits of tofu.

Jen3 years ago

Still wondering: what can/should this be used-for ? I suppose per the 'article itself', I should add udon noodles. In short, to all who asked: it's just a flavored broth/base. I'd suggest adding anything you want in lieu of making a soup that works for you OR you can add it to another sauce/dish for extra 'oompf'. --Make a bit, taste, then decide what you think would go well in it, but maybe try first with plain noodles & then decide what to do after that. BE CREATIVE, it's broth.

Pretzel1 year ago

Yes, it looks as though it's meant to be used anywhere you would use stock - to deglaze a pan, finish a stir-fry, braise meat or vegetables, etc. Especially if your supply of chicken stock ran out yesterday! I'll bet the smoky flavor is wonderful.

jennifer6 years ago

Was this question ever answered, I would like to know also why you need this.

Anne6 years ago