Latest news with #Hojicha
Time of India
3 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Time of India
Move beyond matcha: Give these healthy sips a chance
While matcha's vivid green hue still floods social feeds, its grassy taste and high caffeine content aren't for everyone. It's time to taste a new wave of teas and tisanes that are flavourful, functional, and gut-friendly. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now CT delves into the wellness brews that are trendy, easy to find in India, and perfect for health-conscious sippers. Genmaicha (Green tea with roasted rice) Flavour profile: Earthy, grassy, with a toasty popcorn note Earthy, grassy, with a toasty popcorn note Why try it: Genmaicha blends green tea with roasted brown rice, creating a drink that's both grounding and light. It's a gentle way to start your dayl. Genmaicha blends green tea with roasted brown rice, creating a drink that's both grounding and light. It's a gentle way to start your dayl. How to enjoy: Best served hot or cold-brewed overnight. Pairs beautifully with snacks. Best served hot or cold-brewed overnight. Pairs beautifully with snacks. Price point: ₹600–₹900 Butterfly pea flower tea Flavour profile: Mild, earthy, woody Mild, earthy, woody Why try It: This caffeine-free herbal tea is rich in antioxidants and famous for its colour-changing magic—blue when brewed, purple with a splash of lemon. It's as functional as it is photogenic. This caffeine-free herbal tea is rich in antioxidants and famous for its colour-changing magic—blue when brewed, purple with a splash of lemon. It's as functional as it is photogenic. How to enjoy: Serve chilled with lemon and honey for a refreshing iced tea or use as a base for mocktails and mixers. Can also be used in desserts or cocktails. Serve chilled with lemon and honey for a refreshing iced tea or use as a base for mocktails and mixers. Can also be used in desserts or cocktails. Price point: ₹300–₹600 depending on quantity and form Hojicha (Roasted green tea) Flavour profile : Smoky, slightly sweet Why try It: Hojicha is made from roasted green tea leaves, which lowers its caffeine content and gives it a warm, nutty profile. It's soothing, gut-friendly, and low in caffeine and rich in L theanine, it's ideal for evening use or for calming pre-sleep wind-downs. How to enjoy: Brew it hot as a post-dinner tea or whisk it into a creamy iced latte with oat or almond milk. Ideal for evenings or low-caffeine days. Price point: ₹100–₹300 for bottled versions; ₹500–₹800 for loose-leaf Yerba Maté (South American herbal tea) Flavour profile: Bitter, herbal, robust Bitter, herbal, robust Why try it: Known as a natural energiser, yerba maté offers a balanced caffeine hit along with theobromine (also found in chocolate). It's a mental pick-me-up without the jittery crash of coffee. Offers a clean, steady caffeine boost that enhances mental clarity & metabolic rate. Known as a natural energiser, yerba maté offers a balanced caffeine hit along with theobromine (also found in chocolate). It's a mental pick-me-up without the jittery crash of coffee. Offers a clean, steady caffeine boost that enhances mental clarity & metabolic rate. How to enjoy: Traditionally sipped from a gourd with a straw, but you can also steep it like regular tea or enjoy it as a cold-brew with honey and lemon. Traditionally sipped from a gourd with a straw, but you can also steep it like regular tea or enjoy it as a cold-brew with honey and lemon. Price point: ₹500–₹700 for loose tea or infusion bags Did you know?: Genmaicha is called popcorn tea as some rice grains pop during roasting There's a shift toward 'smart caffeine'. People are realising that caffeine can affect the nervous system & blood pressure – Ryan Fernando, celebrity nutritionist While many drinks are Instagram-popular, people now enjoy them not just for their looks but also benefits. Gone are the days when consumers wanted something pretty to look at. Today, everything they consume must add value – Urvika Kanoi, chef
Emirates Woman
22-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Emirates Woman
8 Dubai cafés getting a Hojicha latte upgrade
Dubai's always known for mastering the world's cult-favourite beverages – and this time it's Hojicha. What is Hojicha? This roasted green tea from Shizuoka Prefacture, Japan boasts a deep umami character with tasting notes of nori seaweed, roasted hazelnut, and delicate smoke. It's rich and woody tannins make it an ideal match for sushi or mushroom risotto, enhancing savoury flavours with its smoky elegance. What are the benefits? Known for its lower caffeine, this now cult-favourite drink is also rich in antioxidants: Like other green teas, hojicha contains antioxidants, such as catechins and polyphenols, which help protect the body against damage from free radicals and may reduce the risk of certain diseases. Also, Hojicha's low caffeine and potential anti-inflammatory properties may help soothe digestive discomfort and promote healthy digestion. So, if you're looking to try this drink, Emirates Woman has narrowed the best spots to give this beverage a shot. Maison Cha Cha Situated in Downtown Dubai, the Hojicha Latte is a warm, roasted indulgence that blends smoky depth with delicate caramel notes, made from premium Shizuoka-sourced tea. Served hot or iced in a sun-drenched, design-forward space that fuses New York energy with Japanese calm, it's a low-caffeine sip that feels both grounding and luxurious. With a focus on clean ingredients, unsweetened plant milks, and optional functional boosts like ashwagandha or cacao, Maison Cha Cha turns this traditional Japanese brew into a modern ritual, perfect alongside their wholesome tartines or matcha-infused desserts. Terra Eatery The Hojicha Latte here delivers a smooth, nutty alternative to matcha, made from roasted green tea leaves for a mellow, toasted finish. Overall, Terra's calming, nature inspired vibe, picturesque courtyard feel, and wellness led ethos, pairing a herbal or refreshing mocktail with one of their signature light Mediterranean plates might offer a similarly grounding experience. For more information visit Pekoe Tea & Bread Bar Situated in Alserkal Avenue, the Hojicha Latte is a quiet luxury, crafted from premium Yabukita leaves, gently roasted to evoke warm, nutty notes with a hint of caramel sweetness. Served hot or iced, starting at Dhs30 it's the kind of drink that invites you to slow down. Inside, sunlight filters through a minimalist, neutral-toned space filled with the scent of freshly baked sourdough and over 100 loose-leaf teas lining the walls. Whether paired with a slice of their signature bread or savoured solo, the hojicha here is where Japanese tradition meets Dubai's understated sophistication. AVANTCHA Tea Bar + Shop At this welcoming space in Al Quoz, the Kuki Hojicha offers a refined, slow-luxury experience, crafted from roasted tencha stems sourced from Shizuoka and Kagoshima, it delivers rich, smoky notes of pecan and caramel with minimal caffeine. Served in a minimalist, lava-stone space that feels equal parts serene and sensory, each cup is brewed to order by in-house tea experts, inviting guests to pause and savour. Whether enjoyed at the bar or taken home in their sleek packaging, this is hojicha at its most elegant, a modern tea ritual rooted in Japanese precision and Dubai's mindful sophistication. For more information visit The Matcha Tokyo View this post on Instagram A post shared by M.3lamdar – منيرة (@m.3lamdar) At The Matcha Tokyo in JBR, Dubai, hojicha takes center stage for those craving something calming yet complex. This roasted Japanese green tea, served hot or iced, delivers a smooth, smoky profile with subtle hints of caramel and cocoa, all without the jitters. With its chic, minimalist setting and a focus on premium-grade matcha, the café's take on hojicha feels both elevated and grounding. Perfect for a midday reset or an after-dinner wind-down, this is where wellness meets indulgence, the Tokyo way. Prices start at Dhs33. For more information visit @ OTAKU View this post on Instagram A post shared by OTAKU (@ Here the Hojicha Latte steals the spotlight with its gently roasted, caramel sweet aroma and deep earthy flavor, starting at Dhs39, depending on the variant from their Hojicha Latte to a richer Hojicha Crème at Dhs42. In a café known for its minimalist industrial vibes, popping anime murals, and signature soufflé pancakes, this tea based gem brings a moment of mellow indulgence. It's creamy, subtly smoky, and just a touch sweet, perfect for winding down or sharing over conversation in Otaku's stylish Dubai Design District setting. For more information visit For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram Images: Supplied & Feature image: Instagram @ oumaymaboumeshouli
Hindustan Times
17-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Hindustan Times
Move over matcha: The warm, nutty hojicha is taking over
As India's culinary horizons continue to expand, Japanese cuisine has become a particular favourite. While the madness over matcha caught on with a sudden quickness, another Japanese tea has quietly been making its mark in the country. Meet hojicha — a roasted green tea with a warm, nutty aroma and a sweet, mellow flavour. Unlike its vibrant, almost floral cousin, matcha, hojicha's signature reddish-brown hue and low bitterness make it a soothing and highly approachable gateway into roasted teas. Rich in antioxidants and low in caffeine, it's comfort in a cup that additionally aids digestion and relaxation. Experts in the food and beverage industry tell us it has less to do with wellness, but rather a global matcha shortage. While hojicha hasn't overtaken its green counterpart, this growing preference for something warmer could be the next big wave in tea culture. Chef Suvir Saran says, 'Hojicha is not just a trend—it's the warm, roasted cousin of matcha. It's smooth, comforting, and hits the Indian palate just right. Think roasted barley meets gentle coffee.' At his soon-to-open Jaipur café, hojicha will star in a limited-time special. 'We're also launching a hojicha dessert at Newmar alongside our mango menu—it's soft, bold, and unforgettable.' Yu Sung Eo, one of the founders of bubble tea company Got Tea, shares that they introduced hojicha to their menu a few months ago. 'When we launched matcha in 2020, it didn't get a great response as it is an acquired taste, but as it became a craze, we started seeing an uptick in signs of acceptance from customers. The introduction of hojicha on our menu has had a similarly quiet response, but we're hoping it will become as big,' he muses. Despite its more muted footprint, Umesh Kapoor, co-founder of Pour Over Coffee Roasters sees hojicha becoming a staple in premium beverage offerings. He also envisions a new movement: Indian tea brands roasting local green tea in Hojicha's style, creating a fusion product that's both familiar and exotic. 'Picture hojicha lattes, sparkling hojicha sodas and cold brews in cafés across urban India. It's comforting, photogenic and ripe for Reels and even branding,' Umesh states. Chef Dheeraj Mathur, cluster executive chef at Radisson Blu, Kaushambi adds that India's growing appetite for international cuisine makes it fertile ground for roasted tea. 'Restaurants and cafés could introduce it as a specialty tea to create a distinctive menu experience. Hojicha's toasty flavour and low caffeine content make it ideal for consumption and digestive comfort,' he explains. The best part? 'It pairs beautifully with Indian desserts like gulab jamun or jalebi, and there's exciting potential for use in marinades, sauces, or even fusion creations like Hojicha kulfi,' he notes, before adding, 'But awareness is key — consumers need to understand its benefits and unique flavour.' Hojicha is made by roasting green tea leaves at high temperatures, which gives it a reddish-brown colour and toasty aroma. To prepare, steep one teaspoon of hojicha in hot water (about 80°C) for 30–60 seconds. Available both in powdered and loose leaf forms, It can be enjoyed hot, iced or as a latte with milk. If you're looking to expand your tea repertoire, check out brands offering hojicha products in India, such as ILEM Japan, Karma Kettle, Brown Living, Dancing Leaf, Sancha Tea Boutique, Satori and Chiran Tea. Hojicha and matcha are both Japanese green teas but differ significantly in flavour, appearance, and use. While complementary, they have distinct places in the culinary and wellness worlds. While hojicha is made by roasting green tea leaves at high temperatures, matcha is a powdered, shade-grown tea known for its vibrant green colour, grassy taste. Matcha is bold, intense and high caffeine content — perfect for an energy boost. Hojicha, on the other hand, is a mellower experience that is more soothing and easier on the gut.
