I was in a small coffee shop in Beppu, Oita Japan one day mostly to check it out to see if it would be a good place to display my work. I didn't want to drink coffee so the owner offered me goya tea. I knew what goya was - bitter gourd used in stir fries, and fresh in salads. Goya is the Okinawan name (southern Japanese island).
But as a tea? I knew it was quite bitter for those who are not used to it but now I really like it and don't think it is bitter. However, goya tea is goya dried and then roasted and then infused in hot water for a tea that is not bitter at all. If you have ever tried mugicha (barley tea) then it is similar.
Now in Southern China, I decided to give goya tea a try since goya is very abundant here. I sliced up a few and dried them then roasted them. You have to be very careful when roasting them because the dried goya is very combustible as I have experienced! The first batch burst into flames in the fry pan
I also found it interesting that goya tea is marketed as "Goya Tea" and sold in the local supermarket here!
Oct 11th, '10, 01:43
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Re: Goya Tea
Sounds interesting, I like mugicha so I would be willing to try the goya tea... around were I live "goya" is a brand of latin food/drink.
Oct 17th, '10, 07:30
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Re: Goya Tea
the founders of the company are originally from spain, and i assume the man in the top hat on their olive oil label is to look like the self portrait by the spanish painter, goya.sanamionline wrote:interesting I wonder what "goya" means in your area of the world?
that's my guess.
i would like to taste the goya tea you are preparing. apart from the taste, what kind of effects does it offer?
Oct 19th, '10, 09:01
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Re: Goya Tea
I see so goya is a persons name in spanish.
anyway back to goya or bitter gourd, it is traditionally used in dishes from stir fries to raw in salads in warmer climate regions as a health food as an
aid to digestion but I drink it any time I feel like it. Raw some people will find it bitter but as a tea not bitter at all and has a similar taste to mugicha (roasted flavor).
anyway back to goya or bitter gourd, it is traditionally used in dishes from stir fries to raw in salads in warmer climate regions as a health food as an
aid to digestion but I drink it any time I feel like it. Raw some people will find it bitter but as a tea not bitter at all and has a similar taste to mugicha (roasted flavor).
Re: Goya Tea
it didn't occur to me that what you are refering to is what we call bitter melon. i eat it all the time in soup, and/or with scrambled eggs. but never as tea. i do find it curious that the tea is not bitter as you wrote, but you roast it so maybe that is what is changing the taste. i do enjoy roasted corn or barley tea, so i should try goya tea. thanks for mentioning something new.
Oct 20th, '10, 01:09
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Oct 20th, '10, 01:12
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Re: Goya Tea
Some other names for Momordica charantia:
bitter melon, bitter gourd in English
苦瓜:kǔguā, in Mandarin Chinese
Karela/Karella in India,
Ampalayá from Tagalog,
Cerasee (Caribbean and South America; also spelled cerasse)
bitter melon, bitter gourd in English
苦瓜:kǔguā, in Mandarin Chinese
Karela/Karella in India,
Ampalayá from Tagalog,
Cerasee (Caribbean and South America; also spelled cerasse)