# Ocha no ha tempura (Green tea leaf tempura) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

**Cuisine Name**: Ocha no ha tempura (Green tea leaf tempura)

**Region**: Our Regional Cuisines

## Main Lore Areas
Hyuga City, Miyakonojo City, Kushima City, Kawanami-cho, Takachiho-cho, Gokase-cho, etc.

## Main Ingredients Used
Green tea leaves

## History, Origin, and Related Events
"Ocha no ha tempura (=Green tea leaf tempura)" is a local dish eaten when freshly harvested green tea leaves are ready. Miyazaki Prefecture is blessed with a mild climate, moderate rainfall, and fertile soil, making it an ideal environment for growing crude tea.It is said that in ancient times, people picked a mountain tea that grew wild in the mountains and drank it.The tea industry is said to have begun in 1751, when Sadaki Ikeda, a retainer of the Shimazu clan in Miyakonojo, went to Uji in the Yamashiro district to acquire a steaming method of tea production and spread it within the clan. And there is also a record that tea was offered to the emperor at that time.Although it grew until the prewar period due to government measures and other factors, it stalled due to the effects of World War II. In recent years, however, production has been increasing due to the aggressive introduction of machinery to expand the scale of production and the establishment of tea gardens for use as ingredients in PET-bottled beverages.Current major production areas include Hyuga City, Miyakonojo City, Kushima City, and Kawanami Town, where many varieties of tea are grown, including "Yabukita". On the other hand, the northwestern mountainous area, Takachiho Town, and Gokase Town are known for their traditional kettle roasted tea production.

## Opportunities and Times of Eating Habits
The first tea picked in a year is called "ichiban-cha" or "shin-cha", and the new sprouts picked during the month of early April to May are eaten. It is said that drinking shincha picked on the 88th day of the year will prolong one's life and ensure good health for a whole year.

## How to Eat
Freshly picked fresh leaves are lightly rinsed, lightly coated with tempura flour and quickly fried. The freshly fried leaves are lightly sprinkled with salt and eaten. The fresh leaves are from the newest to the third, and the lower you go, the more bitter they taste. The fresh leaves are tender, and their tea aroma and subtle bitterness is a taste that can only be found during the new tea season, and only in the local area.

## Efforts for Preservation and Succession
(Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches at commercialization)The "Miyazaki Tea Promotion Council" was established in 2007 to promote the tea industry, and has been taking comprehensive measures to strengthen the tea industry organization and promote its activities. Some green tea gardens hold events such as a tea-picking experience during the new tea season.

## Ingredients
- Green tea leaves: 100g
- Tempura flour: 100g
- Deep-frying oil: as needed
- Tempura sauce, etc.: as needed
- [Seasoning A] Egg: 1
- [Seasoning A] Sugar: 1 tbsp.
- [Seasoning A] Salt: 1 tsp.
- [Seasoning A] Granulated dashi soup stock: 1 tbsp.
- [Seasoning A]Water: 100 ml

## Recipe
1. 1. Pick 3 leaves from fresh leaves. (The lower leaves have a bitter taste).Wash the freshly picked tea leaves, dip them in boiling water, soak them in water, and strain.
2. 2. Put tempura flour in a bowl, add seasoning A, and mix.
3. 3. Heat deep-frying oil to about 160℃, place ingredients on a wooden scoop and fry in a flat shape.
4. 4. If there is tempura flour left, deep-fry carrot, eggplant, sweet potato, etc. and add them to leaves tempura for a nice color and appearance.

## Provider Information
provider : "Local Cuisine Collection" (JA Miyazaki Prefecture Council of Women's Organizations)

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