Goji Berry Brown Rice Tea

Why people make this tea

Walking through a specialty herb-and-flower-tea shop one afternoon, Nourilo spotted golden roasted brown rice and could not resist picking some up. Brewed on its own, it has a lovely toasty, nutty aroma. In Japan and Korea it is famously paired with green tea — the combination is said to support digestion and a healthy body weight. Nourilo decided to pair the roasted rice with a generous spoonful of goji berries instead: the result is a pale amber, fragrant tea that is wonderfully easy to make and genuinely pleasant to drink.

Method

1. Place the goji berries and roasted brown rice together in a teapot or heatproof mug.
2. Pour a small amount of boiling water over them, swirl gently, and discard the rinse water — this cleans the ingredients.
3. Pour in fresh boiling water (about 250–300 ml / 1 cup), cover, and steep for 5 minutes.
4. Pour into a cup and drink. You can refill with boiling water two or three times before the flavour fades. The softened goji berries can be eaten at the end.

Nourilo’s Tips

This tea is gentle enough for daily drinking by most people. If you cannot find roasted brown rice (genmai), simply dry-toast raw brown rice in a pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it turns golden and smells nutty — then let it cool before using.