Sencha Tea

Instructions

1. Prepare the water
   Heat filtered water to approximately 70-80°C (160-175°F). Boiling water will make the tea too bitter, so it's crucial to get the temperature right. If you don't have a thermometer, bring water to a boil and then let it cool for 2-3 minutes.
2. Warm the teapot
   Pour a small amount of the heated water into your teapot and swirl it around to warm the pot. Discard this water. This step helps maintain the tea's temperature during brewing.
3. Add the tea leaves
   Place 2 teaspoons (or use a bamboo scoop for about 4g) of Sencha tea leaves into the warmed teapot. For a stronger brew, you can add up to 3 teaspoons, but be careful as this will increase bitterness.
4. First infusion
   Pour the heated water over the leaves and cover the teapot. Let the tea steep for 1-2 minutes, depending on your preferred strength. The first infusion should be relatively quick to avoid extracting too many bitter compounds.
5. Serve properly
   Pour the tea into each cup a little at a time, moving from cup to cup in a circular motion. This ensures each cup has tea of the same strength. In Japanese tradition, this is called 'mawasu' and ensures everyone gets tea of equal quality.
6. Subsequent infusions
   Sencha leaves can be steeped multiple times. For the second infusion, use hotter water (about 80-85°C) and steep for only 30 seconds. For the third infusion, use even hotter water and steep for 1 minute. Each infusion will have a different flavor profile.