Pan-Fired Green Tea: A Traditional Chinese Brew

Pan-fired green tea is a variety of tea made by heating tea leaves in a large wok or pan to a temperature of around 150° F (65° C). This process gradually dries out the leaves, halting the oxidation process and preserving their green colour. Pan-firing is a traditional Chinese method that produces a mildly roasted flavour with sweet and nutty notes. In contrast, Japanese green teas are usually steamed, which gives them a grassier, more vegetal taste.

Pan-firing is a traditional Chinese method

The pan-firing method was originally used in China to stop the oxidation of enzymes in tea leaves after harvesting. It was then introduced to Japan, where green tea was traditionally made by steaming the leaves. The only Chinese tea that reverted to steaming is the En Shi Yu Lu of the Hubei province. This tea was later popularised in Japan, where it was honoured with the name 'Chinese Gyokuro'.

Kamairicha is a Japanese green tea that is made using the Chinese pan-frying method. It is produced by pan-roasting or pan-firing tea leaves during the early stages of production. This process gives the tea a mildly roasted flavour with sweet and fresh notes. The leaves are fired in hot iron pans of up to 300°C with repeated agitation to prevent charring. The various rolling techniques used produce teas of different leaf forms.

Today, in general, Chinese green teas are pan-fired, while Japanese green teas are steamed. However, the pan-fired method is still used in Japan, particularly in the southern regions.

It stops the oxidation of enzymes

Pan-fired green tea is a method of tea production that originated in China and is now primarily used in the production of Kamairicha, a Japanese green tea. The process involves heating tea leaves gradually in a large wok or pan to a temperature of around 150°F (65°C). This temperature threshold is important as it is the point at which the oxidation process is halted.

Oxidation is a series of chemical reactions that result in the browning of tea leaves and the production of flavour and aroma compounds in finished teas. This process is dependent on enzymes, specifically polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase, which are denatured by the heat of the pan-firing process.

The oxidation process begins when the cell walls within tea leaves are damaged, exposing the internal components to oxygen and initiating a chemical reaction. This reaction converts polyphenols, specifically catechins, into flavanoids called theaflavins and thearubigins. Theaflavins provide tea with a bright, brisk taste and a yellow colour, while thearubigins lend depth, body, and a reddish colour.

By heating the tea leaves in a pan, the oxidation process is halted, preserving the green colour and vegetal characteristics of the leaves. This process also results in a toastier, roasted flavour compared to steamed green tea, which is the more common method of halting oxidation in Japanese tea production.

The pan-firing method is a traditional Chinese technique that was used to make green tea in Japan until the Japanese steaming method was invented in Uji, Japan, during the 18th century. Kamairicha is now a speciality of Kyushu, Japan, and is widely produced in several prefectures, particularly in the southern region of the country.

It produces a roasted flavour

Pan-fired green tea is produced by roasting tea leaves in a hot pan or wok, or by using large heated iron machines. This method of tea production is most commonly used in China, while Japan predominantly uses the steaming method. The pan-firing process involves heating the tea leaves gradually until they reach 150° F, which takes longer than the steaming process. This produces a roasted flavour, with nutty and toasted nuances.

A premium Dragonwell green tea is an example of a tea that uses a specific process to achieve a distinct roasted chestnut flavour. The grassy green, vegetal flavours of the tea are replaced by nuttier and toastier flavours.

Kamairicha, a Japanese green tea, is also produced by pan-roasting or pan-firing tea leaves. It has a mildly roasted flavour with sweet and fresh notes. The tea leaves are fired in hot iron pans of up to 300°C with repeated agitation to prevent charring. The roasting process gives each leave its unique shape. Kamairicha is similar to light floral oolongs, with a mild body and sweet notes.

It is used to make Kamairicha, a Japanese green tea

Pan-firing is a method of heating tea leaves in a large wok, gradually increasing the temperature until it reaches 150° F. This process takes longer than steaming and produces a toastier roasted flavour.

Kamairicha (釜炒り茶) is a Japanese green tea produced by pan-roasting or pan-firing tea leaves during the early stages of production. It is a speciality of Kyushu, Japan, and is widely produced in the prefectures of Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita and Miyazaki. Kamairicha is made by pan-frying tea leaves in an iron vessel at 300-450°C. This process dries the leaves, prevents further oxidation, and helps give each leaf its unique shape.

Kamairicha is a rare tea, accounting for only 2% of all Japanese tea production. It is made using the Chinese method of pan-frying the tea leaves, which is unusual in Japan, where green teas are traditionally made by steaming the leaves. This steaming process imparts a vivid green colour to the tea and produces a distinct savoury quality. Kamairicha, on the other hand, has a light, refreshing taste that lacks astringency and is more floral and nutty in flavour.

The process of making kamairicha began in China, and it is sometimes referred to as 'Chinese green tea' by the Japanese. It is believed that the process of pan-firing tea leaves was introduced to Japan from China along with tea culture. However, while Chinese in style, the aroma and taste of kamairicha are very different from its Chinese counterpart. The prized umami flavour is present in kamairicha, but there is also a beautiful sweetness with far less astringency than a classic Chinese green tea.

It can be done in a wok or a pan

Pan-firing is a technique used to heat tea leaves to halt the oxidation process, preserving their green colour. It involves heating the leaves gradually in a wok or pan to around 150°F (65.5°C). This temperature is maintained for 5-10 minutes, although the exact time depends on the temperature of the pan and the amount of tea being fired.

The pan-firing process takes longer than steaming, which is another popular method for halting oxidation. However, it produces a toastier roasted flavour, with nutty and toasted nuances.

Kamairicha, a Japanese green tea, is produced by pan-firing during the early stages of production. The tea leaves are fired in hot iron pans of up to 300°C with repeated agitation to prevent charring. This process dries the leaves, prevents further oxidation, and helps give each leaf its unique shape. The various rolling techniques used after pan-firing produce teas of different leaf forms, such as commas or magatama.

Pan-firing can also be done at home. An electric pan can contain up to 400g of tea leaves. The leaves should be thinly spread for 2-3 hours before firing to reduce their water content.

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