Description
Anji bai cha preparation
Anji Bai Cha is brewed in a small teapot or gaiwan (cup with lid). Use 1 tbsp. of tea.
Do not boil the water for a long time, as you boil the oxygen out of the water.
Pour 80 degree water over the leaves.
Pull time: 1-2 minutes.
The leaves can be used 2-3 times.
Tips & Tricks
If you only brew one cup/glass at a time, you can use a kopsi or "fill-your-own" tea tray, where the leaves can float freely and release the fine aroma. When using a kopsi or. "you can also brew on the leaves again.
A small pot may be a Japanese teapot with an internal strainer or similar. The advantage of the small pot is that you brew 1-2 cups at a time and then add more tempered water when you're ready for the next cup. This allows you to utilise the potential of the leaves by brewing several times, and you get the experience of a fresh cup of tea.
More about Green tea
Green tea is believed to have originated in China, but has spread to several countries in Asia over its 4,000-year history. Buddhist monks are believed to have brought tea to Japan around 1,400 years ago. The tea plant itself is basically the same in China and Japan, but there are differences in climate, soil and plant breeding. The biggest difference, however, is the actual processing of the harvested tea leaves. All tea comes from the same shrub, which in Latin is called camellia sinensis.
The difference between black and green tea is the degree of oxygenation/oxidisation:
Black tea is fully or partially oxidised for 12-24 hours, whereas green tea is not oxidised.
An enzyme in the green tea leaf starts the oxidisation process as soon as the leaf is plucked. To stop this process, Japanese green tea producers steam the freshly plucked leaves before packing them in airtight boxes and refrigerating them.
In China, oxidisation is stopped by briefly applying "fry" the leaves in a wok. This difference in processing gives Japanese green tea a grassy flavour, while Chinese green tea often has more delicate and floral notes. Chinese green tea is also often slightly more yellow in colour.