Genmaicha facts for kids

Genmaicha

Type:	Green
Other names:	玄米茶 (Kanji) Roasted rice tea "Popcorn tea"
Origin:	Japan
Quick description:	Genmaicha is green tea combined with roasted brown rice, some grains of which have popped.

Genmaicha (玄米茶, "brown rice tea") is a special kind of Japanese tea. It mixes green tea leaves with roasted brown rice. Some of the rice grains even pop during roasting! This makes them look a bit like tiny pieces of popcorn.

Because of the popped rice, people sometimes call it "popcorn tea." It was also known as "people's tea." This is because the rice helped make the tea more affordable. This meant more people could enjoy it, even if they didn't have much money. Today, everyone drinks genmaicha. It was also used by people who were fasting or needed a drink between meals.

What is Genmaicha?

Genmaicha tea, both before and after brewing.

Genmaicha is a unique blend of green tea and roasted brown rice. The rice adds a warm, full, and nutty taste to the tea. It's known for being easy to drink and can help your stomach feel better.

When you brew genmaicha, the tea has a light yellow color. Its taste is mild and fresh, like green tea, but with a lovely roasted rice smell.

How to Make Genmaicha

Even though genmaicha uses green tea, you brew it a little differently.

• Use water that is about 80–85 °C (176–185 °F) hot. This is cooler than boiling water.
• Let the tea steep for about 3 to 5 minutes. The longer it steeps, the stronger the flavor will be.

Types of Genmaicha

You can find different kinds of genmaicha. One popular type has matcha added to it. Matcha is a special powdered green tea.

Matcha-iri Genmaicha

This type of genmaicha is called matcha-iri genmaicha (抹茶入り玄米茶). This means "genmaicha with added powdered tea." It tastes similar to regular genmaicha but often has a stronger flavor. The color is also a brighter green, not light yellow.

Genmaicha in Other Countries

Genmaicha is most famous in Japan. But other countries have similar teas too.

Korean Brown Rice Tea

In South Korea, there is a very similar tea called hyeonminokcha (현미녹차). This also means "brown rice green tea."

There is also hyeonmicha (현미차). This word is similar to genmaicha. However, hyeonmicha is just roasted brown rice steeped in hot water. It does not contain green tea leaves.