Andie said 2013-01-30 14:41:44 -0500

What do you know about Kelp 'Tea'?

On my recent trip to Japan, I purchased a grab bag of tea from this store http://uji-en.co.jp/ in the Shinsaibashi shopping district. One of the teas turned out to be a powdered, kelp and plum ‘tea’ (with gold flakes). Does anyone know anything about this? Health benefits? How to best prepare it? History? I was very surprised to find this in my grab bag.

27 Replies

darky said 2013-01-30 14:54:33 -0500

kelp? isn’t that seaweed?

Andie said 2013-01-30 14:56:37 -0500

Yeah!

Kasumi no Chajin said 2013-01-30 15:00:54 -0500

I loooove these. I don’t know too much about them,and have never had ones with gold flakes. I do know it is a traditional Japanese tonic, and can be used in most traditional cooking.

does the site you posted have an English language version?

Andie said 2013-01-30 15:13:45 -0500

Where have you tried it before?

As far as an English version of the site, I haven’t been able to find one. I usually just google the site url and have google translate the page.

Kasumi no Chajin said 2013-01-30 15:15:08 -0500

ok. I’ll keep on that. my aunt and uncle sent some powdered versions from Hawaii. I have been clinging to the last few packets, only in last few months have I found where to order more.

Kasumi no Chajin said 2013-01-30 15:29:10 -0500

are the ones you have powdered/“instant”? I can recommend water amounts for that type.

Andie said 2013-01-30 15:31:23 -0500

Yeah, they are all powdered/‘instant’. Would greatly appreciate water amount recommendations. The amount in these small packages seems to be around a teaspoon. I have another full bag with the same color and characters that I am assuming is just kelp tea powder… haven’t opened it yet.. Not even really sure how to store it.

Kasumi no Chajin said 2013-01-30 15:37:26 -0500

Start with small amounts. hmm. my packets I think were around 1 teaspoon of powder each…I’d start with about half a cup of hot water per 1 to 1 and half teaspoon. If that is too brothy, rich, salty for you, keep diluting, till it gets lighter/to taste. They will be more salty, savory then true teas.

If it is not to your liking at all, I will gladly trade with you. I keep greens and whites around most of the time.

Andie said 2013-01-30 15:43:05 -0500

So far I’m liking it, so I don’t know if I want to trade. But I will let you know if I change my mind.

Kasumi no Chajin said 2013-01-30 15:45:02 -0500

No problem, the more folks who like it, maybe word will spread. just sayin it can be a bit of an acquired taste too (and I could drink buckets of it, and am painfully low :P)

Andie said 2013-01-31 08:18:51 -0500

Aww I found out that bag I thought was more was actually a very fine Sencha (at least it looks and smells like Sencha).. Now I just have those two little packets left :(

Kasumi no Chajin said 2013-01-31 08:21:20 -0500

well the link I posted below, you can get both the plain and ume kombu-cha in bulk from them, it is how I will be restocking next :) I have found a couple other ways and brands to get the tea too now.

Andie said 2013-01-30 15:21:34 -0500

Here are some pics if anyone is interested:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andiedodd/8430999338/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andiedodd/8430999956/in/photostream/

Kasumi no Chajin said 2013-01-30 15:23:22 -0500

definitely looks like the new years/celebration edition of plain and Ume (pickled salted plum flavored) Kombu-cha (seaweed/kelp tea)…these are tisanes.

Andie said 2013-01-30 15:26:28 -0500

Well that would explain the gold flakes :)

Kasumi no Chajin said 2013-01-30 15:39:48 -0500

ah. Found one of the sites that sells it, suggests uses for it in English :)
https://wawaza.com/products/Kelp-Root-%26-Sea-Salt-Japanese-%22Kombucha%22-Seaweed-Tea,-50g.html

Andie said 2013-01-30 15:42:27 -0500

Cool, thanks!

Dustin said 2013-01-30 15:47:47 -0500

The history? Well, it was first introduced to sea fairing men by merfolk who consider it a drink of warriors and the brave. You see, they must come onto land to brew and drink it exposing themselves to human predators. (You can imagine how difficult it must be to keep tea in a cup while underwater back in the day before modern sippy cups.) Over the course of several encounters the merfolk noticed that it acted as a hallucinogen on humans which they used to their advantage. When sailors did happen upon them, they were lured in for a nice cup of tea and doped up so much that the men could never be sure if the merfolk they saw were real. The effect lasted for days so even if the men did tell of what they saw, everyone just chalked it up to them having been on a big bender. Eventually some sailors figured out what the tea was and tried to reproduce it, but they were missing some key points. The kelp that is harvested is grown in farm beds of ancient volcanic soil now inhabited and fertilized by deep seahorses and picked only under the light of a blue moon by the delicate hands of young virgin mermaids who bless each leaf with a kiss. The kelp tea you get now in the stores had not undergone any of that processing and has no hallucinogenic properties whatsoever.

Hope that helps!

Kasumi no Chajin said 2013-01-31 06:19:21 -0500

Found info on the history. here: http://www.gyokuroen.co.jp/english/premium/premium.html

Dustin said 2013-01-31 06:32:17 -0500

I guess that is a little more accurate. :)

Andie said 2013-01-31 08:19:02 -0500

Thanks :)

darky said 2013-01-31 07:11:58 -0500

well not to be rude but because its seaweed isn’t it affected by the awfull amount off radiation in the seawater near japan because off fukushima nuclear disaster? Did read a few weeks ago that loads and loads off fish from there are highly radioactive…

Andie said 2013-01-31 08:18:07 -0500

I was actually a little bit concerned about that myself.. Not rude at all.

darky said 2013-01-31 09:11:34 -0500

a bit concerned is a bit weak, by far this nuclear disaster is bigger then what happend in chernobyl here in europe (sovjet union) years ago. only by far i’m sure they keeping it under lit and cover to make sure there is no or, not mutch panic about it

Andie said 2013-01-31 10:06:58 -0500

ok… I’m really not going to stress too much over whether my three small portions of kelp tea have radiation.

darky said 2013-01-31 14:05:42 -0500

ah well if its only 3 portions, then you glow a little in the dark! no need for a night light

seule771 said 2013-01-31 10:10:23 -0500

I purchased last year some plum green tea at a Korean grocery store and tea is very sweetly on its own; I don’t know of Kelp tea. Most Japanese teas I have tried have all been lovely teas. Not sure I should have answered. Sorry, best of luck then!