Sencha
Japanese Green Tea
Sencha is the most popular and widely consumed green tea in Japan. It is an everyday steamed green tea, known for its refreshing taste and vibrant green color. This recipe outlines the traditional method for brewing a perfect cup.
🧂 Ingredients
- 6 g Sencha green tea leaves(High-quality loose leaf sencha is recommended for the best flavor.)
- 180 ml Water(Filtered water is ideal to avoid mineral interference with the tea's delicate flavor.)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Heat the water to approximately 70°C (158°F). If you don't have a thermometer, boil the water and let it cool for about 3-5 minutes, or until it's no longer steaming vigorously. The ideal temperature is crucial for extracting the tea's sweetness without bitterness.
⏱️ 3 minutes - 2
Place the 6g of sencha leaves into a teapot. Ensure the teapot is clean and dry.
⏱️ 30 seconds - 3
Gently pour the heated water (around 70°C/158°F) over the sencha leaves in the teapot. Ensure all leaves are submerged.
⏱️ 30 seconds - 4
Steep the tea for 1 to 2 minutes. For a lighter, more delicate flavor, steep for 1 minute. For a slightly bolder taste, steep for 2 minutes. Avoid steeping longer than 2 minutes to prevent bitterness.
⏱️ 1-2 minutes - 5
Once steeped, pour the tea evenly into your serving cups. Pouring a little into each cup, then repeating the process, helps ensure each serving has a consistent flavor and strength.
⏱️ 30 seconds
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Water temperature is critical: Too hot water will scald the leaves and result in a bitter tea. Too cool water will not extract enough flavor.
- ✓Do not oversteep: Steeping for too long will release tannins, making the tea bitter. Stick to the recommended 1-2 minutes.
- ✓Multiple infusions: Sencha leaves can be steeped multiple times. Subsequent infusions may require slightly hotter water and shorter steeping times.
- ✓Pre-warm your teapot and cups by rinsing them with hot water before brewing.
✨ Twist Ideas
Inspiration for your own version of this recipe
- Gyokuro: A shade-grown green tea with a richer, more umami flavor.
- Hojicha: A roasted green tea with a nutty, toasty aroma and lower caffeine content.
- Genmaicha: Green tea blended with roasted brown rice, offering a unique savory and nutty profile.