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Japanese Green Tea Recipe

Name: Maiku Vietnamese Phos Japanese Green Tea Recipe
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2 tsp sencha or gyokuro green tea leaves; 300 ml water; 1.5 tsp optional: additional tea leaves for second infusion; 1 tsp honey or sugar; 1 to taste lemon slice

Inspired by Maiku Vietnamese Pho

Time10m

Serves2

Make Japanese Green Tea Recipe in just 10m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Tea

2 tsp sencha or gyokuro green tea leaves1 1/4 cup (300 ml) water1 1/2 tsp optional: additional tea leaves for second infusion

Optional additions

1 tsp honey or sugar1 to taste lemon slice

Method

Preparation

Measure and heat water

Measure 300 ml of fresh, preferably filtered water. Heat the water until it reaches the appropriate temperature: about 70–80°C (158–176°F) for sencha, or about 50–60°C (122–140°F) for gyokuro. If you don't have a thermometer, bring water to a gentle simmer then let it sit 5–7 minutes for sencha (8–10 minutes for gyokuro) to cool.

Warm teapot and cups (optional)

Pour a small amount of the hot water into the teapot and cups, swirl briefly, then discard. This warms the vessels and helps preserve the tea temperature during brewing.

Brewing

Add tea leaves to teapot

Place 2 tsp of sencha (or gyokuro) tea leaves into a kyusu (Japanese side-handled teapot) or a small teapot/infuser sized for about 300 ml.

Pour water and steep first infusion

Pour the heated water (70–80°C for sencha; 50–60°C for gyokuro) over the leaves. Steep for about 1 minute for sencha or 90 seconds for gyokuro. For a slightly milder cup, shorten steeping by 15–30 seconds.

Decant evenly

Pour the brewed tea into cups or a serving pitcher, distributing evenly so each cup has similar strength. Do not leave the brewed tea sitting on the leaves in the pot, as this will make it bitter.

Second infusion (optional)

For a second infusion, add an additional 150 ml of water heated to the same temperature (or slightly hotter by 5°C). Use 1–1.5 tsp more leaves if desired. Steep for a shorter time: 20–30 seconds for sencha, 30–45 seconds for gyokuro. Decant and serve.

Serving

Serve the green tea hot in small cups. If desired, sweeten lightly with honey or sugar or add a slice of lemon. Traditional Japanese green tea is typically enjoyed without additions to appreciate its natural flavors.

After serving, discard used leaves or compost them. Rinse the teapot and cups with hot water and let them air dry.