MUGICHA/BORICHA/MAICHA | ROASTED BARLEY TEA | BARLEY TEA

Mugicha is considered the 'taste of summer' in most Japanese households and enjoyed cold (recipe below). Interestingly in China ( Maicha) and Korea ( Boricha) it is enjoyed hot and is a staple with all meals.

Mugicha can be sweetened to your liking, lemon & honey can also be added to complement the toasty flavor of the tea. 

For a stronger brew, boil the tea over the stove or increase the steeping time if using an electric kettle. Mugicha is a tisane/ herbal tea and can be steeped for longer time without getting bitter. 

Steeped barley kernels are a good snack, packed with fiber. 

Ingredients:

Barley

Origin:

Gifu Prefecture, Japan

Steeping guide:

Tea: 3 g Water: 100 C, 1 cup   Time: 3-5 min

Recommended number of steeping : 2-3 times

How to prepare :

HOT BREW:

There is no set rule for brewing tea because each tea type is different.

This is a rough guide to get you started. Please experiment to find your ideal steeping time based on your personal taste.

Before preparing any type of tea always warm the teapot and tea cups by rinsing it with hot water.

Put 3 g of tea in the preheated tea pot and add water at 100 C and let it steep for 1-5 minutes or longer based on your liking.

For the subsequent infusions, experiment with the steep timing , increasing it depending on your liking.

COLD BREW:

• 4 cups of water (room temperature)
• 4 tablespoons of tea
• 1 litre glass container /jug with a lid

 Fill the jug/container with room temperature water 
Add 4 tablespoons of Barley tea 
Cover the jug and refrigerate it for 2-3 hours
Strain the barley kernels and pour tea into cups