Houjicha is a good everyday tea in Japan and is a source of good health. Houjicha, also called Bancha, is made by roasting Sencha tea leaves over high heat. It is a brown tea with a toasted nutty flavor. Therefore, it is also easy for to try Japanese tea for the first time. The first three processing steps of Houjicha tea leaves are the same as for Sencha: 1) Steaming, 2) Drying and Crumpling, and 3) Shaping. But to make Houjicha, the tea goes through one special additional step: 4) Roasting. Like Sencha, tea leaves for Houjicha are grown with fully-flooded sunlight, so that Houjicha contains beneficial Catechin. And since Houjicha is pan-roasted, it is very low in caffeine. In Japan, Houjicha is commonly given to babies and people who are sick because it is both nourishing and low in caffeine. Besides, Houjicha is perfect for iced tea. It will cool you on a sizzling hot day. The flavor is very smooth and the aroma lingers nicely for a while. Benefits Aids in weight loss Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol High antioxidants Boosts metabolism Boosts Energy Anti-Aging Prevents Dementia Helps the skin looking radiant and acne free Boost immunity Relieve PMS Low in Caffeine Aids digestion Good for our heart Taste Nutty roasted flavour with hints of caramel. Origin Uji, Japan Appearance Glossy brown broken leaves and stems. Directions Normal way - Pour 100°C water into a 300-350ml cup and infuse with a Houjicha tea bag for 1-2 minutes. Kyusu (Teapot) Method - Place (7-8g) 3 tablespoons of Houjicha into the Kyusu, pour 100°C water and steep for 15-30 seconds then serve. Repeat for further servings with additional steeping time. Cold Houjicha (Traditional Japanese Farmer's recipe - Boil water in a large kettle (about 2 litres) and pour half a cup of houjicha leaves into the kettle and boil for 2 minutes. After cooling a little, fully chill the tea in the fridge. Iced Houjicha - Place (7-8g) 3 tablespoons of Houjicha into the Kyusu and pour 200ml of boiling water into the kyusu. Wait for 1 minute and serve it into cups. Add ice cubes to the tea and it is ready to drink.
