Are you just about pouring hot water from the kettle or water server to the Kyusu teapot at once to make a cup of Japanse green tea? Wait a minute!
The taste of tea changes completely with just one step.
Today, I am going to tell you how to make 10 times better Japanese green tea.
Additionally, in this post, I am talking about “Sencha” green tea which are ordinal daily green tea.
- What Is “Ryokucha”? What Is “Sencya”?
- Health Benefits Of Sencha Green Tea
- The Standard Recipe To Make Japanese Green Tea
- About Water Hardness For Making Japanese Green Tea
What Is “Ryokucha”? What Is “Sencya”?
Green tea, “Ryokucha” (緑茶) in Japanese, refers to a group of teas made with unfermented fresh tea leaves.
Unfermented tea is a type of tea that immediately adds heat to the just-harvested tea leaves to stop the action of the enzyme.
Even in the green tea category, there are various types produced depending on the cultivation and manufacturing method.
“Sencha” (煎茶) is a daily green tea that grows up under direct sunlight and the most major green tea that people often drink in Japan. Its process is steaming for keeping the green color in the leaves and undergo the process called primary drying and rolling tea process, which is to make the water content in tea leaves evenly and crumpling (rolling) up the leaves to reduce the surface to make a later drying step easy and dried evenly.
After several processes, the “Sencha” tea leaves are dried completely and shaped up as you see in the market.
Health Benefits Of Sencha Green Tea
Sencha contains minerals such as catechin, caffeine, theanine, and vitamins, so many health benefits can be expected.
- Beauty skin
- Flu prevention
- Stress-relieving
- Improve concentration
- Take the edge off sleepiness
The Standard Recipe To Make Japanese Green Tea
For two or three Yunomi teacups.
- Amount of tea leaves; 5-6 grams (about 2 teaspoons, 1 us teaspoon= 4.2 grams)
- Water temperature; 70 to 80 degrees Celcius (about 176 F)
- Amount of hot water; 180 cc (6 fl oz)
- Infusing time; Approximately 1 minute with the lid on
The amount of tea leaves per person is about 3 grams (0.1 ounces), but better to measure slightly less than the number of people to prevent too much green tea bitterness when making tea for two or more people.
About Water Hardness For Making Japanese Green Tea
The water with a hardness of about 30 to 80 milligrams per litter goes well with Japanese green tea.
Water hardness refers to the amount of calcium and magnesium ions dissolved in 1000 ml liter of water. WHO guidelines for drinking water quality stipulate below.
| Classification | mg/ ml liter |
|---|---|
| Soft | 0 – 60 |
| Slightly hard | 60 – 120 |
| Moderately hard | 120 – 180 |
| Hard | over 180 |
Generally speaking, the water (includes tap water) in Japan is “soft” water, and the water in European countries is “hard” water. In addition, there is temporary hard water in which the hardness decreases when boiled, on the other hand, permanent hard water which does not decrease much when boiled like European water.
Hard water suppresses the nice astringency too much, you can’t enjoy the original green tea taste itself. On the other hand, hardness under 10 mg/ml liter enhances astringency too much.
Purified Water? Tap Water?
If your area is not a hard water area and very safe to drink from the tap,
- Purified water is better water for green tea. Be sure to boil the water completely before making a green tea.
- Purified water is better water for green tea. If you have to use tap water, leave the tap water overnight or boiled once for at least 5 minutes to eliminate the chlorine odor from the tap water.
- Another tip to make a good green tea is not to put hot water directly into the Kyusu teapot from a kettle or a water server, allow the hot water cool down into Yuzamashi cooling bowl, or Yunomi teacups to make the water moderate temperature.
How To Make Green Tea
- First, pour hot water into Yunomi teacups or Yuzamashi cooling bowl. (To cool the hot water down and to measure the amount of hot water.) Generally, Every time you transfer the water to a container, the temperature drops by about 10 °C. So, when transfer 100 °C boiled water to another container, the temperature will be 90 °C.
- Put the tea leaves in Kyusu teapot. (The amount of tea leaves is about 2 grams at 60cc per person)
- Gently transfer poured the hot water in Yunomi teacups to Kyusu teapot, and then wait for about 1 minute until the tea leaves opened and brewed.
- After about 1 minute, turn the Kyusu 3 to 5 times and serve the tea evenly into Yunomi teacups.
- The tea concentration is light at the beginning and richer later, pour the tea with the small portion each cups and repeat it to make the tea concentration even. (Mawashi sosogi)
- Make sure not to leave the last drops of green tea in Kyusu teapot for a second brewing.
The Best Japanese Kyusu Teapot For Green Tea
You can brew Japanese green tea with an English, Chinese teapot, or French press, but if you looking for a better result, consider having a Japanese “Kyusu” pot in the kitchen cabinet.
How To Storage Green Tea Leaves
Do you think that tea leaves keep its flavor forever because of dried? But, green tea leaves are sensitive to temperature, humidity, air, sunlight, let’s learn about proper storing way.
To store green tea teabags is the same definition.
5 Matters To Damage Green Tea Leaves
- Humidity
- Oxygen
- Sunlight
- Temperature
- Picking Up Nearby Smell
Humidity
When the water content of tea leaves increases, the oxidation of the ingredients is promoted, which affects the color and aroma.
Transfer to a moisture resident bag or container for storage. Do not leave the package open.
Oxygen
Oxygen oxidizes minerals in tea leaves such as chlorophyll, catechins, vitamin C, which causes a deterioration in taste.
Using sealed containers or vacuum packaging, Keeping out harmful oxidation.
Putting oxygen absorbers is another ideal way to keep tea leaves fresh.
Sunlight
Since sunlight promotes the decomposition of chlorophyll, which causes the leaves to turn brown and bad smells.
Keep out direct sunlight and better to transfer to a light-shielding bag or container that does not transmit light.
Temperature
Keeping under high-temperature conditions, chlorophyll and catechins will start to oxidize and the leaves turn brown.
If the package is unopened and you do not plan to make tea for a while, store it in the refrigerator (or freezer).
When opening the package, leave it at room temperature for a while to prevent the tea leaves from absorbing moisture.
Picking Up Nearby Smell
Tea leaves have a strong deodorizing effect that absorbs odors. Do Not store under an unsealed condition. Tea leaves pick up easily nearby odors, which will significantly lose quality.
Transfer to a tight-seal bag or container. Do not place anything with a strong smell nearby.
Conclusion
It’s a good idea to purchase in a small portion to consume in about 2 weeks to 1 month.
Transfer to a tight seal container with light-shielding and store in a cool place, avoid direct sunlight once opening the package.
No longer to keep in the refrigerator as the tea leaves absorb the odor and moisture.
When Green Tea Leaves Become Old (Not Fresh)
Make Homemade Houjicha
When the tea leaves become not fresh, you can roast it at home. Line a frying pan with the parchment paper, place the tea leaves. Roast slowly over low heat until turning a brown.
You can also use a microwave. Heat leaves unwrapping for a few minutes until leaves turning brown and smells toasty.
- Use a very clean frying pan or avoid roasting just after cooking something else to avoid leaves absorbing smells.
- Keep attention to roasting leaves. It’s easy to burn once it starts smoking.
- After roasting leaves, do not leave them on the frying pan to prevent burning. Transfer the tea leaves to a plate.
- Caution to the very hot plate when taking out from the microwave.
As Deodorizer
Green tea leaves can be deodorizer. Put the tea leaves in a tea pack or cotton porch and placing it where you are bothered odor such as in shoes, shoe shelf, closet.
Final Thoughts
Not only relying on tea bags, get to know about green tea further than now, like types of green tea, health benefits, how to brew…
If so, your daily tea time will be even more valuable.
And try with traditional authentic Japanese green tea utensils.
Japanese green tea sets sophisticated tones that enhance the authentic experience of Japan and make you feel special. It’s rarely used in other ways like making coffee, but making tea time with special serve wear is a valuable relaxing time in itself.
Make sure to store green tea leaves properly to enjoy for the next time.
