Makes: 1 jug (about 750 ml) · Prep: 5 minutes (+ 3 hours or overnight in the fridge)
Since coffee and I renegotiated our relationship, green tea has taken the afternoon shift, and in this heat I brew it cold. My leaf of choice is kukicha, the roasted Japanese twig tea, naturally low in caffeine, and cold-brewing softens it further: steeped slowly in the fridge rather than scalded, what fills the glass is smooth and gently toasty, with a quiet steadiness to it.
The twist is the umeboshi, the salted Japanese plum, the same pantry that seasons my dressings. One plum turns a jug of iced tea into something closer to a natural isotonic: salty, sour, faintly sweet, and far better at replacing what a hot day takes out of you than anything in a plastic bottle. And it contains pre and probiotics too.
Ingredients
- 2 tsp loose leaf kukicha (or hojicha or bancha, all low in caffeine) or 2 bags of good green tea
- 750 ml cold filtered water
- 2 umeboshi plums (or 1 tsp umeboshi paste)
- A few fresh mint leaves (go gently: the ume is subtle and too much mint talks over it)
- Ice, to serve
- Optional: a few ribbons of cucumber in the jug
Method
- Put the tea and cold water in a jug and steep in the fridge for 3 hours, or overnight. Strain out the leaves.
- Tear one umeboshi into the jug, flesh and all (keep the stone out), or stir in half the paste. Bruise the mint in your hands before adding it.
- Stir, taste, and add the second plum (or the rest of the paste) if you want more of the salty-sour edge.
- Serve over ice, with the cucumber if using.
Yin–Yang balance
Cold tea and mint carry summer’s cooling, expansive yin; the kukicha’s roasting and the concentrated, salty umeboshi bring the grounding yang, the anchor that stops a cooling drink from washing you out. One plum balances the whole jug.
Nutrition facts (approx., per glass)
- Calories: 5 kcal
- Protein: 0 g
- Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g (of which sugars under 1 g, all naturally occurring)
- Salt: 0.5 g
Rich in: soothing tea polyphenols, with pre and probiotics from the traditionally fermented umeboshi
Notes & variations
The jug keeps for two days in the fridge and improves overnight as the ume works through it. A slice of fresh ginger in the steep warms the flavour without heating the drink. If umeboshi is new to you, start with one plum: it is a taste that arrives assertively and then becomes a habit. For the live cultures, choose traditionally made, unpasteurised umeboshi rather than a pasteurised jar.
Dietary tags: vegan, gluten free, sugar free