sencha

Steamed green tea

Sencha is a Japanese green tea made from leaves that are steamed, rolled, and dried.

It's the most common type of green tea in Japan, lighter and more vegetal than roasted varieties: She ordered sencha with her sushi.

The brewing temperature matters—too hot and it turns bitter.

brewing

steeping

Soaking to extract flavor

infusionSteeping to extract essence
kettleSpouted vessel for heating water
temperatureMeasured heat intensity

timing · water quality · cooling · pouring · decanting · loose leaf · strainer · two minutes · resteep

flavor

umami

Fifth taste sensation

vegetalOf or like plants
grassyCovered with blades
marineRelating to the sea

seaweed · astringent · sweet · brothy · savory · fresh · bright · clean · delicate · mellow

health

antioxidants

Substances counteracting oxidative damage

catechinsPolyphenolic tea compounds
polyphenolsPlant-derived antioxidant compounds
flavonoidsPolyphenolic plant metabolites

caffeine · metabolism · hydration · vitamins · minerals · immunity · wellness · cardiovascular

leaf

needle-shaped

Slender and sharply pointed

dark greenDeep leafy shade
rolledRotated or turned over
whole leafUndivided plant appendage

broken leaf · dust · glossy · flat · twisted · steamed · processed · withered · dried · chlorophyll

Categories

Japanese foodsushi, ramen, tempura, sashimi, miso
teagreen tea, black tea, oolong, white tea, Darjeeling
Brewed Drinksale, lager, stout, porter, pilsner
infusionstea, green tea, black tea, herbal tea, peppermint tea
Asian drinkssake, rice wine, shochu, soju, jasmine tea
Japanese tea

Opposites

tea processing method

senchapu-erh

Post-fermented Chinese tea

black tea · oolong · Assam · white tea · Ceylon

tea formality and grade

senchamatcha

Powdered Japanese green tea

Family

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