Nokcha — Korean green tea brewed with warm water
A clear, pale jade infusion of Korean green tea leaves (often from Boseong or Hadong), brewed with warm water to draw out vegetal sweetness before bitterness. A drink of focus, without sugar, sipped in small mouthfuls.
A clear, pale jade infusion of Korean green tea leaves (often from Boseong or Hadong), brewed with warm water to draw out vegetal sweetness before bitterness. A drink of focus, without sugar, sipped in small mouthfuls.
The water must never boil when it touches the leaf — that's the mistake everyone makes. I let it drop from its boil, I pour it first into the empty cup to warm it, then onto the leaves. The first infusion is brief, almost nothing, just the time of a breath. You first feel the tender green, cut grass, and only after, in the background, that sharp bitterness that wakes you. I never add sugar. It's the cup I keep near me when I write: it cools, I reheat it, and time passes without my noticing.
- •Korean green tea leaves (nokcha) — a pinch (infusion)
- •Spring water — one cup (medium)
Nokcha — Korean green tea brewed with warm water
A clear, pale jade infusion of Korean green tea leaves (often from Boseong or Hadong), brewed with warm water to draw out vegetal sweetness before bitterness. A drink of focus, without sugar, sipped in small mouthfuls.
Why this dish? Green tea is among the typical objects associated with Han Kang, alongside her writing notebooks. A cup placed near the pages: the drink of attention, slowness, and concentration, the daily gesture of a writer.
The water must never boil when it touches the leaf — that's the mistake everyone makes. I let it drop from its boil, I pour it first into the empty cup to warm it, then onto the leaves. The first infusion is brief, almost nothing, just the time of a breath. You first feel the tender green, cut grass, and only after, in the background, that sharp bitterness that wakes you. I never add sugar. It's the cup I keep near me when I write: it cools, I reheat it, and time passes without my noticing.
Ingredients (period version)
- Korean green tea leaves (nokcha) — a pinch (infusion)
- Spring water — one cup (medium)
Ingredients
- Korean green tea leaves (Boseong/Hadong) or Japanese sencha — 3 g (1 heaped tsp) (infusion)
- Filtered water — 200 ml at 70°C (medium)
Method
- Bring water to a simmer, then let it cool to 70°C (about 5 min off heat), or pour it once into the cold cup to warm it.
- Place the leaves in a small teapot or infuser.
- Pour the warm water over the leaves and steep for only 1 to 1.5 minutes for the first infusion.
- Serve in a small cup, without sugar. Reinfuse the same leaves 2 to 3 times, slightly lengthening each time.
How it was made : Tea cultivation in Korea dates back to the Silla dynasty and was refined in Buddhist monasteries, where the darye (tea ceremony) accompanied meditation. The regions of Boseong and Hadong remain the emblematic terroirs of nokcha. Unlike boiled teas, green tea is brewed at low temperature to avoid releasing too many bitter tannins.
The contemporary twist : In summer, try a cold brew: same leaves in cold water in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours, for a clear, smooth, barely bitter cup.
Han Kang · Charactorium