Black soybeans are a rare legume native to China and at the turn of the 21st century, they became popular as a tea in Japan. The tea is made by soaking roasted black soybeans in boiling water for a few minutes. It’s not widely available in Australia, so this is Muji Black Soybeans Tea.
The legume is broken up rather than whole and comes in pyramid teabags.
Infusing 1 tea bag or 1.8 g in 200 mL of boiling water yields, the infusion was a translucent brown colour with a savoury nutty nose recalling kinako. Served hot, the same savoury nutty notes come through before a mellow, clear sweetness emerged in the body that recalled that same clarity of flavour as sugar cane. The slight sweetness recedes in the finish with the nutty notes returning to linger very briefly in the aftertaste.
Some people eat the black soybeans softened from soaking as a snack. Even as an infusion itself, though, it’s immensely enjoyable and perfect for pairing with sweeter Asian desserts.
This bag of Muji Black Soybeans Tea contained 10 tea bags or 18 g. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Ōsaka, Japan in 2015.