What became colloquially known as “the people’s tea” for its accessibility by the common man, Genmai-cha, simply put, is a green tea mixed with roasted grains of brown rice, giving it a warm seductive and nutty character. Because of both its appearance (the rice kernels) and its flavor (sweet and rich) it is also often referred to as “popcorn tea”, and is now enjoyed by many across the globe.
In modern times, a vast multitude of tea is abundantly available to pretty much anyone who would like to drink it. But this wasn’t always the case. In early 20th century Japan farmers and city dwellers alike had little to no access to quality blends of tea. As a result many started drinking Genmai-cha because of the nutritious value of the green tea, as well as the filling properties of the brown rice that was added. For the same reason Genmai-cha also proved to be a suitable beverage for monks who were fasting, soldiers during rations, and the sick when they couldn’t hold solid food.
Genmai-cha is believed to originate from Kyoto. One of the origin myths is that when a servant poured a cup of expensive green tea for his master back in 15th century Japan, he accidentally dropped a few grains of rice in the tea. Another, more likely story, is that the tea originated much later, in the early 1900s, when times of hardship forced people to ration their tea and make the tea more viable as a means of sustenance for a larger group of people.
While Genmai-cha is readily available these days, it is also possible to make your own. First you roast about a cup full of brown rice until it is evenly browned. Then you heat water to a temperature of about 82° Celsius. You subsequently add a tablespoon of green tea leaves, and a table spoon of the roasted rice to a filter, and steep it into the cup for about 2 or three minutes depending on taste.
