Volume 2 Issue 3

Table of Contents

E-Mail:info@clearspring.co.uk

Web:www.clearspring.co.uk

Tel: 020 8749 1781Fax: 020 8746 2259

Editor:Justin Belleme

Clearspring’s OrganicTea and NaturalFarming................1

Medical Benefits.....1Including:

Chinese and JapaneseFolk Remedies.......3Benefits of Caffeine..3Twig Tea Benefits...4Macrobiotic HomeRemedies..... . . . . . .4Mu 16 Tea..........4

Tea Quality............5

Brewing a PerfectCup..............................5

Cooking With Tea.....5

Clearspring Ltd.19A Acton Park Estate

London W3 7QE

Continued on......................................3

The Joys of Japanese Tea

Continued on......................................2

Originally amedicinal beverage

broughtfromancient

China by Buddhistmonks, tea (cha) was

both rare and expensive in Japan formany centuries. The first tea seeds wereplanted in Japan during China’s T’angdynasty (618-905), and cultivation ofthe plants was associated with templelife and religious activity. Today, morethan a thousand years later, tea has

become Japan’s national beverage. Fromthe Zen Buddhist tea ceremony to thedaily three o’clock tea break, drinking teais a Japanese institution. Both stimulating and relaxing,Japanese teas such as tangy sencha (greentea), smoky bancha (roasted green tea),and earthy kukicha (twig tea) refresh thepalate and heighten the pleasure of eatingall types of food. Although all Japanesetea comes from the evergreen Camelliasinensis, unique processing produces teaswith different tastes, colours, andphysiological effects. Like many herbalbrews, Japanese tea has legendary healthbenefits, some now scientifically proven.

Clearspring’s Organic Teaand Natural Farming

For over 800 years Japan’s finest teashave grown around the town of Uji,which is located on the old roadbetween the ancient capitals of Nara andKyoto, about 230 miles southwest ofTokyo. Birthplace of both Japanesegreen tea and the tea ceremony, Uji’srich, slightly acidic soil is ideal forgrowing tea. Early morning mist fromthe Uji river moistens the leaves of theplants and shields them from the sun,and the volcanic soil is well drained bythe sloping terrain. Following the

natural contours of the valleys andsurrounding hills, Uji’s landscape ispatched with three- and four-acre teafields. Straight rows of smooth, tightlytrimmed bushes look more like ornamen-tal hedges than individual tea plants. Off the main road, on a hill overlook-ing Uji, the manicured look of theplantations below gives way to fields oflumpy, irregular rows of tea plants - theremote, centuries-old tea plantations ofthe Nagata organic tea co-op, producers ofClearspring’s organic sencha, bancha, andkukicha teas. Following the principles ofan agricultural method known as nature

Medical Benefits of GreenTea

Though a productof the same bush,typical English teasare not steamed, sothey are dark in colourand are referred to as“black” tea. Recentresearch has confirmedwhat Eastern healershave known forcenturies. Green tea’s unique traditionalprocessing is partly responsible for itsextraordinary healing properties.Scientists working in the United States

and Japan have found that drinkingseveral cups of green tea each day canhave a profound effect on your health. In the last few decades several hundredarticles have appeared in professionalmedical journals and lay publicationsreporting the medicinal benefits of greentea. Some of the benefits of green teareported by scientists include the follow-ing:

• Reduces the risk of heart disease andstrokes• Reduces the risk of several types ofcancer

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farming, theNagata organictea co-op, agroup ofassociated teagrowers, havebeen a curios-ity to their tea-farmingneighbours.Most tea farmers spray their plantswith chemicals fifteen to twentytimes a year, but the Nagata growershave rejected chemical agriculturecompletely. They do not use animalmanures, chemical fertilizers,herbicides, or pesticides; theyreplenish the nutrients in theirtopsoil with vegetable-qualitycompost only. Nature farmingstresses the importance of buildingsoil vitality by maintaining a semi-wild natural environment. Plants arenot overly protected or pampered butare allowed to fend for themselveswith the help of a strong, balancedtopsoil. The Nagatas insist that it is notnecessary to prune tea bushesuniformly. Each bush, he says,should be allowed to grow accordingto its own pattern. Although heharvests a little less tea than similar-sized farms that use chemicalmethods, his plants have far lessmould and blight. Also, the co-optea plants usually produce tea leavesfor twice as long a period of time asplants that have been chemicallytreated. Chemically treated tea plantsgenerally burn themselves out inabout twenty years, but the Nagataplants commonly produce for fortyyears, some for as long as onehundred. In early spring, Uji farmers covertheir tender tea leaves with darknetting or slotted bamboo screens toprotect them from the afternoon sun.These first spring leaves are pro-cessed into gyokuro (jewel dew),

Japan’s rarest, most expensive tea.Steamed, dried, and ground to a finepowder, these early leaves becomematcha, the jade green tea of theancient tea ceremony. Unlike their neighbours, in thespring, the Nagata growers processtheir most prized leaves into sencha,a high-quality green tea offered tohouse guests and served at fineJapanese restaurants. To makesencha, the freshly picked tenderleaves are immediately steamed for aminute or so. Steaming softens theleaves and turns them a delicateemerald green colour. (The steamingprocess prevents the tea fromfermenting and turning dark. Thisdistinguishes Japanese tea frompartially fermented oolong and fullyfermented black English teas.) Oncesteamed, the leaves are rolled intothin curls, dried slowly in ovens,cooled, and immediately packed toseal in their fresh taste and aroma.Slightly bittersweet sencha, morethan any other tea, has the fresh tasteof just-picked leaves. The Nagata growers continue topick sencha throughout the spring.By late June or July the leaves aretoo large and coarse to qualify assencha and are processed intobancha. These leaves are steamed,mixed with black volcanic sand, androasted in revolving ovens. The sand,later removed, helps the leaves roastslowly and evenly. Roastingfurther neutralizes theleaves’ alreadyweak astringentand stimulatingqualities (tealeaves losecaffeine strengthas they grow), so bothchildren and adults candrink bancha at any time of day.Bancha is one of the Nagata group’smost popular teas and is frequentlyserved in Japanese hospitals as amedicinal beverage. In Japan, kukicha has beenstigmatised as a poor man’s drink,because, like brown rice, it bringsback memories of the days ofdeprivation during and after World

War II. Macrobiotics founder GeorgeOhsawa introduced kukicha to theWest forty years ago. Since itcontains only one-tenth the caffeineof sencha and because it is the mostalkalinising Japanese tea, Ohsawaconsidered it to be the most balancedbeverage. Indeed, kukicha is anexcellent complement to the grain-based, mostly vegetarian diet headvocated. Nagata growers keep the caffeinelevel in kukicha as low as possibleby selecting only older twigs andharvesting them in fall and winterwhen caffeine is naturally lowest.Twigs are steamed, dried, and storedin paper bags for two to three yearsin order to develop the best flavour.After aging, twigs are cut and gradedto size. Each grade is then roastedseparately at different temperaturesand lengths of time to ensureuniformity. Finally, the twigs areblended and packaged. The Nagatacoop formula for just the right ratioof twig size and age is a carefullyguarded company secret.

Two other traditional Japaneseteas are barley tea (mugi cha) andbrown rice tea (genmai cha).Unhulled barley for barley tea is firstsprouted to activate its natural

sweetness, then roastedto bring out its

deep, richflavour. Excel-lent chilled,barley tea is a

favourite of womenand children during

Japan’s hot, humid summers. Brown rice tea is a type ofsencha. It is a mixture of 50% greentea leaves and 50% kernels ofroasted, popped brown rice. Thewhite colours of the rice dispersed inthe green tea gives genmai cha aninteresting appearance. Enjoyed bothhot and chilled, rice tea has a mild,nutty flavour. Genmai cha is avail-able in the Clearspring label.

Clearspring’s OrganicTea and Natural

FarmingContinued from............................1

Nature farmingstresses the importance

of building soil vitality bymaintaining a semi-wild

natural environment.

Other TraditionalJapanese Teas

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• Helps regulate blood sugar• Prevents or lowers high blood pressure• Boosts the immune system• Facilitates weight loss• Helps prevent ulcers• Slows the aging process• Controls inflammation• Reduces blood cholesterol• Fights viral colds and flu• Prevents gum disease, cavities, and bad breath• Can help prevent osteoporosis• Can help prevent blood clots

Scientists have even discoveredthat applying green tea to the skincan help cure and prevent someforms of skin cancer and other skindisorders, protect the skin fromlong- and short-term damage fromthe sun’s ultraviolet rays, and act asan antibacterial agent when appliedto skin infections. Many of thebroad health benefits of green tea arederived from its rich supply of plantnutraceuticals called polyphenols, ofwhich epigallocatechin gallate(EGCG) is the most powerful.Polyphenols are one of nature’s mostpowerful antioxidants. Fermentedblack teas lose much of their healthpromoting properties duringprocessing. Research at RutgersUniversity has confirmed that greentea has six times the antioxidantcapability of black fermented teas.Another important medicinalcomponent of green tea is tannin, anastringent responsible for green tea’sbitter taste. Tannin is also thought tohelp the body discharge toxins dueto pollution and to accelerate themetabolism of fats. Because green tea leaves aresteamed immediately after they arepicked, most of their oxidativeenzymes are destroyed. Conse-quently, they retain their greencolour and more natural vitamins,minerals and antioxidants than

fermented black teas. Chemical analysis has revealedthat green tea contains significantamounts of water-soluble vitaminsand minerals, particularly zinc,manganese, potassium, niacin, folicacid and vitamin C. In fact, one cupof green tea has more vitamin C thanan orange. Researchers at theUniversity of Kansas attributedgreen tea with 100 times theantioxidant strength of vitamin C,and 25 times that of vitamin E. AUnited States Department ofAgriculture study found that theantioxidant capacity of green tea isbetter than twenty-two various fruitsand vegetables.

Green tea applications have along history in many countries wherethis tea is cultivated. The followingare a few suggestions. Clearspringdoes not recommend these remediesas a substitute for professionalmedical advice. If you have any ofthe conditions listed below, checkwith your personal health careprovider before using these recom-mendations. Green tea used for cooking andexternal medicinal application isstronger then tea brewed fordrinking. (See prepara-tion instructionsunder “Cookingwith Green Tea.”)Also, do not discardbrewed tea used fordrinking or left overtea leaves, because thesecan be used for some of the remediesbelow.

• Cool and heal sunburned skin bysoaking a towel in cold green tea andplacing it on the affected area of thebody.• Use green tea to ease itching andswelling.• Use strong tea as a disinfectant oncuts and bruises.• Use strong tea to treat athlete’sfoot. Bathe the foot twice a day for

ten minutes for up to several weeks.• Press rehydrated tea leaves onteeth to reduce the pain of toothache.• Chewing rehydrated tea leavescleanses the breath.• Soak a towel in warm tea, andplace the towel on tired eyes torefresh them.• Wash the face with warm tea toreduce skin rashes and pimples.• Rinse washed hair with strong teafor shine and softness.• Bathing in mint flavoured greentea during hot weather has a refresh-ing and cooling effect.

Although caffeine has receivedbad press in the West, it might havebeen this very quality in tea, whichinstantly invigorates the body, thatattracted early religious leaders andphysicians. Scientists have identifiedcaffeine as one of a potent group ofdrugs called methylxanthines, whichare found in over sixty plant species.Caffeine blocks adenosine, a naturaltranquilliser, so the brain is over-stimulated, thus heighteningintellectual activity. The highestquality Japanese green teas, whichare picked from tender spring leaveshigh in caffeine, may have more

caffeine than coffee. Buttheir high tannin

and vitamin Ccontent isbelieved tomoderate the

stimulatingeffect. This

synergistic quality ofvitamin C and tannin with caffeinemay explain why Zen monks usegreen tea during long meditations tostay alert but calm. Other side effects of caffeine,such as widening of the arteries andpulmonary vessels, increasing bloodflow to the heart, and stimulatingkidney and bladder functions, wereviewed as medicinal effects byancient healers, who used green teawith moderation.

Continued from........1

Medical Benefits ofGreen Tea

Green tea’s uniquetraditional processing ispartly responsible for itsextraordinary healing

properties.

Chinese and Japanese GreenTea Folk Remedies

The Health Benefits ofCaffeine

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Although there has been verylittle, if any, medical research intothe health benefits of drinkingkukicha, traditional folkloresuggests that this beverage has asoothing, beneficial effect ondigestion, blood quality, and themind. Because the caffeine in the teabush in concentrated in the leavesrather than the stems, twig tea hasvery little caffeine. Several macrobiotic healing tonicsmade from combinations of kukicha,soya sauce, and umeboshi (pickledplums) or ume (Japanese plum)extract have many medicinal uses,ranging from alkalinising the bloodto relieving hangovers. Chemicalanalysis of the kukicha twigs hasshown that the tea may be a goodsource of calcium, iron, and vitaminsA and C, and because it has verylittle caffeine, it is safe for childrenand infants to drink.

Several folk medicines forspecific medical conditions are madeby combining twig tea or banchawith other medicinal foods such asgomashio (sesame seeds and seasalt), soya sauce and umeboshi.Although there is no scientificresearch confirming the effectivenessof these tonics, there is a wealth ofanecdotal evidence, and many ofthese remedies have roots in theancient traditional medicines ofJapan and China. Clearspring doesnot recommend these teas as asubstitute for professional medicaladvice. If you have any of theconditions listed below, check withyour personal health care providerbefore using the suggestions below. Ume-Sho-Ban: Crush the meatof one umeboshi and add 1/2 tea-spoon soya sauce to it. Add boilingbancha tea (1/2 -1 cup, according toindividual taste). You may also addseveral drops of ginger juice. Stir

well and drink. For children usewithout ginger and with less soyasauce.

This drink canbe useful forthe followingconditions:

• headachecaused by excessiveconsumption of foods high insugar or oil• stomach trouble (nausea, lack ofappetite)• tiredness• anaemia, weak blood and weakcirculation• intoxication by carbon monoxide

Sho-Ban or Soy-Bancha: Putone or two teaspoons of soya saucein a cup. Add hot bancha to fill thecup. This tea will have a strengthen-ing and refreshing effect on healthypeople. Soya sauce as well as banchahave an alkalinising effect on acidicblood which can be caused byoveractivity or eating lots of sugaryfoods or animal foods. This tonic isknown to activate the circulation. Take 1 to 2 cups a day until reliefis obtained, but do not continue formore than 3 to 4 days in a row. Ifyou add a little grated ginger to thisdrink it is particularly effective incases of stomach trouble such asnausea and flatulence.

This drink can be useful for thefollowing conditions:

• stomach troubles (in particularstomach acidity and indigestion)• menstrual cramps, flatulence• carbon monoxide intoxication• rheumatism

Gomashio-Bancha: Add a cupof hot bancha to a teaspoon ofgomashio, and stir well. Use thisdrink the same way as Sho-banabove. It has been found to beparticularly useful for stomach orintestinal cramps. It also helpsrelieve tiredness in the summer.

The word Mu has several mean-ings; it can mean

“nothing,” or“emptiness,”and also“unique.” Mutea was

developed byGeorge Ohsawa,

based on a traditionalOriental medicinal herbal drink forwomen’s diseases. It is composed ofa combination of 16 plants and wildherbs: Japanese peony root (Paeonialactiflora), Japanese parsley root,hoelen (Poria cocos), Chinesecinnamon, liquorice, peach kernels,ginseng root, Chinese foxglove(Rhemannia glutinosa), ginger root,mandarin peel, Cnidium officinale,Atractylodes, Cyperus, cloves(Eugenia car yophyllata), moutan(Paeonia moutan), and Coptis.Although the drink is a combinationof yin and yang ingredients, as awhole it is a yang composition. Mutea is also available in theClearspring label. Preparation and Use of Mu Tea:1. For healthy people: Boil thecontents of one tea bag (you mayopen the bag) for 10 minutes in 3cups of water. This tea is good torelieve tiredness, to become moreyang, and to lose weight.2. For sick people: Boil the contentof one tea bag in 3 cups of water for30 minutes (boil for the first 5minutes, then simmer for 25 min-utes). Boil until only 1 1/2 cups of teais left. That is the serving for oneperson per day. This tea may bereheated. Yin sick people can take this teaevery day for 1 to 2 weeks, espe-cially when they are suffering from:• troubles of the digestive system,such as a weak stomach• troubles of the respiratory system,such as coughing caused by yin• troubles of the reproductiveorgans, such as menstrual cramps orirregular menstruation• yin sanpaku (the whites of theeyes showing below the iris)

Research atRutgers University has

confirmed that green tea has sixtimes the antioxidant capability

of black fermentedteas.

Medicinal Benefits of TwigTea

Macrobiotoc Home Rem-edies Made From

Kukicha Tea

Mu 16 Tea

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All green teas such as sencha andbancha are not thesame. Indian andChinese greenteas are usuallyoven-dried rather

thansteamed.Simpledrying

can cause oxidation of importantvitamins, minerals, and flavourcomponents, which can alter thetaste and nutritional content ofdelicate green teas. Recent chemicalanalysis has revealed that becauseJapanese green teas are steamedimmediately after they are picked,most of their oxidative enzymes aredestroyed. Consequently, theyretain their green colour, naturalvitamins, and high concentration ofpolyphenols. Moreover, the aminoacid content, which determines thedepth of flavour in green teas, ismuch higher in Japanese teas.

The art ofJapanese teapreparation andpresentationinvolves payingattention towater temperature, steeping time, andserving methods. If the water ishotter than required, the delicatetaste of green tea might be lost;steeping too long can produce teasthat are dark and bitter. The Japanesetraditionally serve sencha in smalldelicate tea cups; bancha andkukicha are generally served inlarger, handle-less mugs. Japanesetea is never served with sugar or milk– if sweetness is desired, a little ricesyrup can be added. Kukicha is the easiest Japanesetea to brew. Unlike other varieties,which are never boiled, kukicha issimmered to extract the full flavourfrom its twigs. Simply add three level

tablespoons of kukicha to one litreof water, bring to a boil, and simmergently for three to five minutes. Pourthe tea through a strainer into thecups, and return the twigs to the pot.The twigs can be used once again,but a few fresh twigs may need to beadded for full-bodied flavour. If youare using kukicha tea bags, steep onetea bag in one cup of hot water forfive to six minutes. (Kukicha teabags usually contain some leaves, soif you want to avoid caffeine, it isbest to use whole kukicha and brewas described above.) Serve hot orchilled with lemon if you prefer. Fora refreshing summer drink,combine chilledkukicha with anequal portion ofapple juice. Bancha andsencha areclosely related andare brewed in the same way.Because sencha contains morecaffeine, however, it is served insmaller quantities, and is never usedto quench one’s thirst. A large teapotis useful if you are serving more thantwo people. Warm the teapot byfilling it with hot water. Pour thewater out and add one level table-spoon of tea for each cup of wateryou will be boiling. In another pot,bring cold, pure water to a full boil,then immediately remove it from theheat. Let the water sit a minutebefore pouring it over the tea leavesor tea bag in the warmed pot. Allowthe tea to steep for only a minute ortwo, or it will become bitter. If youare using bulk tea, strain it as it ispoured into the cups. Alternatepouring a little tea into each cup,until the pot is completely drained.This pouring method will ensureeach person’s tea to be about thesame strength. The leaves may bereused once or twice. For bothsencha and bancha, fresh leavesshould not be added to used ones –discard spent leaves, rinse the pot,and begin fresh. Unlike sencha,which becomes bitter when cooled,bancha makes a delicious andrefreshing cool summer beverage.

Sencha, bancha, and kukicha areavailable in good-quality tea bagsand in bulk. However, if storedimproperly, these teas can becomestale quickly. Buy no more than aone-month supply at a time, andkeep it stored in an airtight containerin a cool, dry place.

Brewing a Perfect Cupof Tea

Although the Japanese drinkseveral cups of green tea a day, it israrely used in everyday cooking.However, adding brewed green tea to

food recipes has a long traditionin some parts of

China. For thosewho want touse as muchgreen tea aspossible,

adding it to foodcan greatly increase

one’s daily intake. Also, the sweetyet astringent taste of green tea addsa subtle flavour to tea dishes thatcannot be easily duplicated with anyother ingredient. This is particularlytrue in mild soups where the uniquequalities of green tea can be moreeasily experienced. There are a few cookbooks thatare entirely devoted to cooking withgreen tea. The following recipes arefrom Cooking With Green Tea, byYing Chang Compestine, a native ofthe People’s Republic of China.

Brewing tea for cooking - Add alittle steaming water to the teapot orcup and swirl the water to warm theteapot. Discard the water. Place 2 to 4bags of greentea in the pot.Immediatelypour 1 1/4 cupsof boiling waterover the bags.Cover and infuse for 2 to 3 minutes.Discard the bags. This makes 1 cupof very strong tea, which is neededwhen using green tea in recipes suchas those below.

Cooking With Green Tea

Adding brewedgreen tea to food recipes has

a long tradition in some parts of China.

Tea Quality

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NOTICE

Miso Soup with Tofu and SpinachServes 4

2 cups water4 green tea bags2 cups vegetable stock4 thin slices ginger root350g tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes2 tablespoons miso2 cups packed spinach leaves, largestems removed2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil1/2 cup chopped green onions

Bring the water to a simmer andpour over the tea bags. Cover andsteep for 2-3 minutes, then discardthe tea bags. In a large saucepan,bring the green tea, vegetable stock,and ginger to a boil. Add the tofuand return to a boil. Reduce heat,cover, and simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Remove about 1/2 cup of the brothto a bowl, add the miso, and stiruntil miso is dissolved. Pour themiso back into the soup and add thespinach. Bring to a simmer and stirin the sesame oil. Remove from heatand ladle into bowls. Sprinkle withgreen onions. Serve hot.

Teriyaki-Ginger Baked TofuServes 3-4

Use this easyrecipe to makeyour ownflavoured bakedtofu.

3 bags Clearspring green tea(sencha)5 tablespoons Clearspring Tamari orShoyu soya sauce3 tablespoons Clearspring MikawaMirin2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice1 tablespoon peeled and gratedginger root450-500g extra firm tofu

Brew the tea bags in 1/2 cup hotwater for 6 minutes. Discard the teabags. Combine the tea, shoyu,mirin, lemon juice and ginger in abowl or container. Place a small plate on top of the

tofu and gently press out the excesswater. Slice the tofu lengthwise inhalf. Add the tofu to the teamixture. Cover and refrigerateovernight, making sure the saucecovers the tofu. Preheat the oven to 175°C. Drainthe tofu and place it on a lightlyoiled baking sheet. Bake for 30minutes, or until firm and compact.

Stir-Fried Bok Choy withShiitake MushroomsServes 4

Baby bok choy is sweeter andmore tender than regular bok choy.Many restaurants cook this dish witha base of chicken broth. Vegetarianswill be happy to know they canenjoy a vegetarian version of thisCantonese delicacy.

3 dried shiitake mushrooms1 pound baby bok choy or regularbok choy2 tablespoons canola or safflower oil1/2 tablespoon loose green tea2 cloves garlic, minced1/2 tablespoon sake (rice wine) ormirin2 tablespoons rice milk or soya milksalt and black pepper, to taste

Soak the mushrooms in warmwater for 1 hour, or until softened.Squeeze the mushrooms in yourhand to thoroughly wring out theexcess water. Cut off and discard thestems, and slice the caps. Wash and drain the bok choy,then cut it lengthwise into 3-inchpieces. Heat the oil in a wok or largefrying pan over medium-high heatand swirl the pan to coat it with theoil. Add the tea leaves and stir-fryuntil fragrant, about 30 seconds.Add the garlic and shiitake and stir-fry about 1 minute. Add the bok choy, and coverimmediately to prevent the oil fromsplattering. Give the pan two goodshakes and cook for 30 seconds.Remove the cover and stir-fry untilbok choy leaves turn a brighter greenand soften. Add the sake or mirin

The information contained hereinshould not be considered or con-strued as therapeutic recommenda-tion for any person or any diseaseor symptom, nor is it intended toprovide medical advice, which canonly be provided by a licensed phy-sician in private consultation. Thesearticles may not be distributed with-out the permission of Honto Press,P.O. Box 457, Saluda, NC 28773US.

and rice milk and stir-fry for 1minute. Season with salt and pepper.Serve hot.

Curry Peanut SauceMakes about 1/2 cups

Use for dipping spring rolls or as asauce for noodles.

1 tablespoon canola or safflower oilcontents of 1 bag green tea2 cloves garlic, minced1 teaspoon peeled and finely gratedginger root1/4 cup minced onion1/2 cup peanut butter1/2 cup soya milk or rice milk1/2 tablespoon lemon juice1 teaspoon curry powder

In a small saucepan, heat the oilover medium heat. Add the green tea,garlic, ginger and onion and sautéuntil the onion softens, 4 to 5minutes. Add the peanut butter, soya milk,lemon juice and curry powder. Cook,stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, or untilthe sauce is hot and the peanutbutter melts. Let the sauce cool. Use immedi-ately or store in the refrigerator in atightly sealed container for up to aweek.

Tip: For a smoother sauce,process in a blender for 20 seconds.