Genmaicha Green Tea

Genmaicha Green Tea

Genmaicha, this Japanese type of tea, which has been around in the land of the rising sun since the 15th century, is a not very long and well-known specialty in our country. It consists of green tea and roasted and puffed brown rice. This not only ensures an unusual taste experience, but also excellent digestibility. The at the same time rustic and mild, warming Genmaicha contains little caffeine and a slightly malty sweetness due to the roasted aromas. It also tastes good to those who usually find green tea too tart, and it even appeals to many who otherwise prefer coffee.

Composition

Genmai means dark or brown rice, brown rice. Cha means tea. Like many other delicacies from the kitchens of the world, Genmaicha tea preparation is originally due to the lack. Poor people have added rice to the relatively expensive, precious green tea. Its share can be a third or even half. Flowery and bloody legends entwine around the origin of the Genmaicha, but as is so often the case, the rather prosaic explanation is likely to be the plausible one. As is well known, necessity makes people inventive.

A perfect combination

Genmaicha combines the advantages of good quality Japanese teas with the healthy properties of brown rice. We know green tea as stimulating and invigorating. The gentle Genmaicha is hardly bitter and therefore gentle on the stomach. Secondary plant substances and essential oils can of course also be found in it, trace elements, vitamins and minerals.

Due to the high proportion of rice, Genmaicha contains little caffeine, especially when it is made with Bancha. On the other hand, it has a lot of potassium, magnesium, vitamin B and fiber.
Our genmaicha consists of bancha and brown rice. Both contain the messenger substance GABA, which is supposed to stimulate fat burning, lower blood pressure and reduce stress.

Genmaicha tea preparation

Calculate ten grams of tea for one liter of water, that's four teaspoons. If you let the liquid stand in the closed stove or kettle for three to four minutes after it has boiled, the temperature will be 70 to 80 degrees. The infusion should steep for two to three minutes. Sometimes a minute is considered sufficient, sometimes even half a minute. Every now and then you can hear and read that the water should then be boiling hot.

As always, you will find our recommendations on the packaging.

When it comes to preparing Genmaicha tea, opinions also differ on the question of whether, contrary to tradition, it can be infused several times like other high-quality green tea. And if so, at what temperature? And how long can and should these two or three infusions brew? Just ten seconds can be enough; bubbly boiling water is sometimes recommended.

There are as many different opinions on this as there are on choosing the right pot for making Genmaicha tea. Cast iron? Stainless steel? Porcelain? Volume? Ceramics? Glass? When we think about the origin of this drink, we tend to prefer more solid materials and not extremely fine china and delicate glass. This also applies to the drinking vessels. A more down-to-earth mug is more suitable than an almost transparent, filigree and noble mug.