Do you know how to make green tea?
Green tea is not just a refreshing beverage. It has many medicinal
properties as well. You might think that green tea is one of those medicines
you have to force down your throat, but that is not the case (if you follow the recipe properly). With practice and the right recipe, you can easily make
your green tea taste better with some simple tricks.
How to Make Green Tea?… Properly
First of all, if you want a drink that isn’t just “hot leaf juice”, then the tea
must be brewed properly. It might look easy, but brewing green tea is a
delicate process and must be done carefully to get the desired taste. While
brewing, the following factors must be considered.
Steeping longer than 2 or 3 minutes gives a bitter tea; much like a medicine.
For a strong green tea, steep for 3 minutes, but not any longer. While
steeping, the quality of the tea should be considered as well.
High-quality green teas are soaked in warm water for about 1 minute. While lower quality teas are steeped in hotter water and for 2,3 minutes. Making green tea with tea bags is in the recipe.
What to do When Things Go Wrong?
It’s all but natural to make mistakes. Sometimes, things get out of your hand
and you end up at crossroads. So, what can you do if you have a tea you can’t drink, but don’t want to throw away either. There are many ways to make your green tea taste better.
If your tea is bitter, it is easy to fix it by squeezing a little lemon in it. If you
wish for a sweet and natural brew, try adding a few drops of honey to your
cup. However, if there is sugar in the tea, then adding honey would give an
unbearable, sweet tea.
So, it’s better to use half a teaspoon of honey instead of sugar. Stevia leaves are also great sweeteners and even better than sugar, as they have fewer calories and many health benefits.
Herbs like mint, add a natural and refreshing taste to your green tea. Mint
gives a pleasant and fresh aroma as well. Throwing in a few spices, like
ginger and chamomile, also add a little punch to your green tea.
A Little Sip of History
The tradition of brewing Green tea began in China, the birthplace of
Camellia sinensis (the green tea plant). Green tea was praised all over the
country for its health benefits. Its popularity brought it to Buddhist monks
who played a vital role in its spread across East Asia.
Even today green tea is the most widely produced tea in China. Some popular green teas in China is Chun Mee, Gunpowder Tea, and Matcha Tea.
From China, a pair of Buddhist monks brought some green tea seeds to
Japan in the early 19th century. Here it was quite popular among the rich
and royal families and the commoners rarely even tasted it. However, this
changed when “Zen priest Eisai” brought the proper brewing techniques and growing methods to the commoners, in his “The Book of Tea”.
Is Green Tea actually Healthy?
So, what are the health benefits that make a simple green tea, so famous?
There are a number of them. In these leaves are compounds that
reduce inflammation, natural antioxidants that prevent cell damage, and
minerals that help fight diseases.
Green tea also contains a little caffeine. The small amount of caffeine
produces a much more stable effect in your body and helps maintain an
active mind, without any side effects. L-theanine is another compound in
green tea that helps against anxiety. Along with these features, green tea
also boosts metabolism and helps in weight loss. well now you’ll know how to make green tea, enjoy!
How To Make Green Tea
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) Water
- 1 teaspoon Green Tea (or 1 teabag)
- ½ tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Heat the water in a saucepan till it bubbles.
- Turn the heat off and put the green tea in.
- Cover and leave it for a minute or two, depending on how strong you wantthe tea to be.
- Strain the tea into the cups and add sugar to taste.
Notes
To make green tea with tea bags:
After boiling the water, let it cool for a moment. Put the green tea bag in a
cup and pour the hot water over it. Remove the teabag after a minute or
two depending on your taste preference.
