The Genmaicha ( Brown Rice Tea ) is a heartwarming, fragrant tea which is made from tea leaves and roasted brown rice kernels.
The roasted brown rice gives it an unbelievably warm taste and smell. It truly is a tea you should try if you have not.
The key to brewing this fantastic tea is to brew it in a way that the aroma is unleashed to the max!
Boil fresh water in a kettle and pour 200ml of boiling water into a measuring cup. 200ml of water will make 1-2 tea cup(s) of tea.
Add 4g of tea leaves into a tea pot. Genmaicha will typically use 4g/1.5 tsp of tea leaves 1-2 tea cup(s).
Going by this ratio, if you are preparing for a group of 5 people, the amount of leaves required will be 10-15g.
For Genmaicha, the best way to extract the nutrients as much as possible is to infuse the tea with high temperature water (90℃). It will help unleash the great aroma that comes out of the tea and the brown rice kernels.
As mentioned above, you would want to reduce the temperature from boiling (100℃) to 90℃ then infuse.
This allows the umami to come out while containing the astringency of the green tea.
Close the lid and wait for the tea leaves to open. For Genmaicha, let the tea steep for only 30 seconds. Don’t let it steep too long, as it may become bitter.
Pour in this Order
When you serve Genmaicha to several people, make sure the thickness of the tea is equal. You can’t have one person have thick tea, and another person have thin tea! If you don’t be careful, this will happen as the tea will become richer and richer as you pour. In order to even the richness of the tea for everyone, the tea is poured in the above order.
This method of pouring is called “Mawashisogi”. If there are 3 tea cups, firstly, pour halfway in the order of 1 – 2 – 3. Subsequently, pour again in the reverse order of 3 – 2 – 1.
Make sure that the tea is poured to the very last drop. This helps to keep the second infusion delicious as well. If tea is remaining in the tea pot, the second infusion may not be as enjoyable.
