Delicious specialty teas from the ‘matcha bush’!
To clear up a misunderstanding first: there is no such thing as a matcha bush. All tea produced comes from the same tea plant. Like all tea, matcha comes from the tea plant Camellia sinensis. However, there are various variants of this tea plant. The way the plant is processed after harvesting determines whether you get a fresh green tea, a powerful matcha, or a roasted variety such as hojicha. In fact, several special types of tea are produced from the same plant, each with its own character, flavor profile, and application. The plant itself remains the same, but different parts of the plant (such as leaves, stems, or twigs) and the processing method create a great diversity of flavors. Here are a few wonderful types of tea that you might not know yet.
Karigane (Kukicha made from tencha)
Kukicha, also called “twig tea,” is one of the most unique Japanese tea types. Instead of leaves, kukicha is made from the stems and veins of the tea leaf. If kukicha is made from shade-grown tea such as matcha, it is also known as Karigane. Otherwise, it is made from sencha (regular green tea). The kukicha from The Matcha Man is a Karigane quality, and therefore has a rich yet mild umami flavor and is certainly not bitter. This makes it a very accessible type of tea. It also has a lower caffeine content than matcha, making it perfect for any moment of the day.
Hojicha
Another delicious tea is hojicha. This is made from roasted leaves and stems of the tea plant, including parts leftover from matcha or sencha production. The roasting gives hojicha a warm, nutty, and light flavor that is completely different from other green teas. Due to the roasting process, hojicha contains very little caffeine and is therefore often given to children or elderly people who are sensitive to caffeine in Japan. Moreover, the scent of hojicha provides a wonderfully “cozy” feeling – perfect for autumn and winter. Nevertheless, hojicha is also drunk a lot in summer, often served as iced tea. Hojicha is also a delicious base for lattes, though hojicha powder is often used for that.
Hojicha powder
Hojicha powder is hojicha ground into a powder. The biggest difference is that with regular hojicha, the tea is steeped and the tea leaves are discarded, whereas with hojicha powder, the entire tea leaf is consumed in powder form. It also offers many more application possibilities than regular hojicha. The possibilities are endless, especially in the kitchen! Hojicha powder can be used in sweet baked goods, such as cake and pancakes. But hojicha powder also finds its way into smoothies and desserts, such as ice cream and tiramisu. Even in savory dishes, hojicha powder provides 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 (plant-based) milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional), 25 ml oil.
Preparation:
In a bowl, whisk the egg with the milk, vanilla, and oil until smooth.
In another bowl, mix the flour, hojicha powder, baking powder, sugar, and salt, and whisk this into the batter. Let the batter rest for at least half an hour.
Grease a frying pan and heat it over medium-high heat. Pour a small ladle of batter into the pan for a thick, fluffy pancake (think of American pancakes). Bake until bubbles appear on the top (±2 min), then flip and bake 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) yogurt, a pinch of extra hojicha powder or cocoa powder.
TIP: for extra hojicha flavor, mix a teaspoon of hojicha powder into 100 ml of heavy cream before whipping.
You can find more delicious recipes here!
Matcha-iri Genmaicha
Genmaicha is a traditional Japanese tea blend of green tea (often sencha or bancha) and popped 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 savory, warm flavor of roasted rice and the ‘umami’ of the matcha. Some people also call matcha-iri genmaicha “popcorn tea” because of the appearance of the puffed rice grains. In the past, rice was added to ‘expensive’ tea. But even when tea became affordable for the ordinary Japanese person, this type of tea remained popular and has not lost any of its appeal to this day. This tea is comforting and warming.
What about health?
Like matcha, these types of tea contain antioxidants, amino acids, and catechins – albeit in lower concentrations than matcha, because with matcha you consume the whole leaf and not just the infusion. In the case of hojicha, the whole leaf is also consumed, but due to the roasting, the concentrations of the aforementioned nutrients are slightly lower.
When purchasing, pay attention to:
- Origin: from Japan (Uji, Kakegawa, Nishio, Shizuoka)
- Freshness: check the expiration date and prefer buying small quantities
- Packaging: airtight and lightproof
Try a bag of kukicha or hojicha powder and discover a whole new side of the Japanese tea world!
