Japanese Tea Recipe
Japanese tea is known for its purity and simplicity, with matcha and sencha being two of the most popular types. Here’s a basic recipe for making traditional Japanese sencha tea, a type of green tea.
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon Japanese sencha tea leaves
- 1 cup water (preferably filtered)
- Optional: a small slice of lemon or a few mint leaves
Instructions:
Heat Water:
- In a kettle, heat 1 cup of water to about 160-170°F (70-80°C). Japanese green tea is best brewed with water that is not too hot to avoid bitterness.
Prepare the Tea:
- Place 1 teaspoon of sencha tea leaves into a teapot or an infuser.
Steep the Tea:
- Pour the hot water over the tea leaves.
- Let the tea steep for 1-2 minutes. Sencha is delicate, and over-steeping can make it bitter.
Strain and Serve:
- Remove the tea leaves or infuser.
- If desired, add a small slice of lemon or a few mint leaves for a fresh twist.
- Serve hot.
Tips:
- Tea Quality: Use high-quality sencha leaves for the best flavor. Look for fresh leaves rather than tea bags.
- Temperature Control: Japanese green tea is sensitive to water temperature. Use a thermometer if possible to get the water to the right temperature.
- Multiple Infusions: Sencha tea leaves can be steeped multiple times. Reuse the leaves and steep for 30 seconds to 1 minute for each subsequent infusion.
Enjoy your soothing cup of Japanese sencha tea!