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Soba Cha -- Japanese Buckwheat Tea

Soba Cha -- Japanese Buckwheat Tea

Soba cha is a Japanese tea made from roasted buckwheat groats.  It has a wonderful nutty flavor!  Once you have brewed your tea you can save the groats that you used and add them to your morning oatmeal for a bit of extra flavor.

Author Rachael Hutchings, www.lafujimama.com

Ingredients

For the toasted buckwheat groats

  • 1/2 cup raw buckwheat groats

Instructions

Make the toasted buckwheat

  1. Put the raw buckwheat groats in a large skillet or pan (the groats should be able to fit in a single layer in the bottom of the skillet) over medium heat.

  2. Stir the buckwheat groats constantly, moving them around the pan, and toast them until they are fragrant and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue toasting the groats until they are a deep chestnut brown.  If they are starting to brown too quickly, reduce the heat further, you don't want them to burn!  

  3. When they are the correct color, remove the skillet or pan from the heat and pour the toasted buckwheat groats into a bowl to cool and prevent them from continuing to cook in the hot skillet.

  4. Once the groats have cooled completely, put them in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to steep some tea!  They will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 months.

Make 1 serving of soba cha (buckwheat tea)

  1. Put 1 tablespoon of toasted buckwheat groats in a tea infuser and put the tea infuser inside your mug.  Pour 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) of boiling water into the cup and let the tea steep for 5 minutes.  Remove the infuser and set aside.  Your tea is ready to drink!