Bancha Tea-by Aveline kushi
Place 11/2-2 tablespoons of roasted twigs in 11/2 quarts of spring water and bring to a boil. Keep unused twigs in an airtight jar until needed. When the water boils, reduce heat to low and simmer for several minutes. For a light tea, simmer 2-3 minutes. For a darker, stronger tea, simmer 10-15 minutes. To serve, place a small bamboo or metal tea strainer in each cup and pour out tea. Twigs in the strainer may be returned to the teapot and reused several times. Bancha tea may be served hot year-round as well as cool in the summer. It is usually drunk plain, though for medicinal purposes a drop of tamari soy sauce, kuzu, or other ingredients may be mixed in.
-When it is hot outside I like to serve cold bancha with lemon or mis it with some apple juice.
-For more on tea go here .