Delicious special teas from the 'matcha bush'!
To clear up a misconception, there's no such thing as a matcha bush. All tea produced comes from the same tea plant. Matcha, like all tea, comes from the Camellia sinensis tea plant. However, there are several varieties of this tea plant. The way the plant is processed after harvesting determines whether you get a refreshing green tea, a strong matcha, or a roasted variety like hojicha. Several unique teas are produced from the same plant, each with its own character, flavor profile, and use. The plant itself remains the same, but different parts of the plant (such as leaves, stems, or twigs) and the processing method create a wide variety of flavors. Here are a few wonderful teas you might not know yet.
karigane (Kukicha van tencha)
Kukicha, also called "twig tea," is one of the most unique Japanese teas. Instead of leaves, kukicha is made from the stems and veins of the tea leaf. If kukicha is made from shade-grown tea like matcha, it is also called Karigane. Otherwise, it is made from sencha (regular green tea). The Matcha Man's kukicha is a Karigane quality and therefore has a rich yet smooth umami flavor and is certainly not bitter. This makes it a very accessible tea. It also has a lower caffeine content than matcha, making it perfect for any time of day.
Hojicha
Another delicious tea is hojicha. This is made from roasted leaves and stems of the tea plant, including parts left over from matcha or sencha production. Roasting gives hojicha a warm, nutty, and light flavor that's completely different from other green teas. Because of the roasting, hojicha contains very little caffeine and is therefore often given in Japan to children or elderly people who are sensitive to caffeine. Moreover, the aroma of hojicha creates a wonderfully "cozy" feeling—perfect for autumn and winter. However, hojicha is also frequently enjoyed in the summer, often served as iced tea. Hojicha also makes a delicious base for lattes, but hojicha powder is often used in those cases.
Hojicha powder
Hojicha powder is hojicha ground into a powder. The main difference is that with regular hojicha, the tea is steeped and the tea leaves are discarded, while with hojicha powder, the entire tea leaf is consumed as a powder. It also offers many more uses than regular hojicha. Especially in the kitchen, the possibilities are endless! Hojicha powder can be used in sweet pastries, such as cakes and pancakes. It also finds its way into smoothies and desserts, like ice cream and tiramisu. Even in savory dishes, hojicha powder adds a unique twist.
Japanese hojicha pancakes (6-8)
Ingredients:
150 g flour, 1 tablespoon hojicha powder, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 tablespoons sugar (or to taste), pinch of salt, 1 egg, 200 ml (vegetable) milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional), 25 ml oil.
Preparation method:
In a bowl, beat the egg with the milk, vanilla, and oil using a whisk and mix until smooth.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, hojicha powder, baking powder, sugar, and salt and whisk them into the batter. Let the batter rest for at least half an hour.
Grease a frying pan and heat it over medium heat. Pour a small ladle of batter into the pan for a thick, fluffy pancake (think American pancakes). Cook until bubbles appear on the top (approximately 2 minutes), then flip and cook for another 1–2 minutes. Repeat until the batter is gone.
Serve warm, for example with: honey or maple syrup, banana or strawberries, a dollop of whipped cream or (coconut) yoghurt, a pinch of extra hojicha powder or cocoa powder.
TIP: For extra hojicha flavor, mix a teaspoon of hojicha powder with 100 ml of whipping cream before whipping.
Find more delicious recipes here !
Matcha iri Genmaicha
Genmaicha is a traditional Japanese tea blend of green tea (often sencha or bancha) and puffed or roasted brown rice grains (genmaicha). Sometimes matcha is added (matcha-iri). The result is a unique combination of the freshness of green tea with the hearty, warm flavor of roasted rice and the umami of matcha. Some people also call matcha-iri genmaicha "popcorn tea" because of the appearance of the puffed rice grains. Rice used to be added to "expensive" tea. But even when tea became affordable for the average Japanese, this type of tea remained popular and has remained so to this day. This tea is comforting and warming.
And what about health?
Like matcha, these teas contain antioxidants, amino acids, and catechins—albeit in lower concentrations than matcha, because with matcha you consume the entire leaf, not just the infusion. Hojicha also consumes the entire leaf, but the roasting process reduces the concentrations of these nutrients.
When purchasing, please note:
- Origin: from Japan (Uji, Kakegawa, Nishio, Shizuoka)
- Freshness: pay attention to the expiration date and buy small quantities
- Packaging: airtight and airtight
Try a bag of kukicha or hojicha powder and discover a whole new side of the Japanese tea world!