If you want to know how to make Job's tears tea, the short answer is quick: dry-roast the pearly grains until they turn golden and fragrant, then simmer or steep them in hot water and strain. Job's tears tea is a mild, nutty, toasty, caffeine-free East Asian roasted-grain drink made from the grains of Coix lacryma-jobi — the same grain sold as coix seed, adlay, Korean yulmu, or Japanese hato mugi. It is a soothing everyday cup you can serve hot or chilled, and the softened grains left at the bottom are good to eat too.
This guide walks through a simple Job's tears tea recipe made from whole grains, explains why roasting is the step that matters most, and shows how to coax a lighter second brew from the same grains.
What Job's Tears Tea Is
Job's tears tea is a roasted-grain tisane rather than a true tea — it holds no leaves of the tea plant and no caffeine. The flavour is soft and rounded: toasted cereal, a whisper of popcorn, and a faint natural sweetness, with a pale golden-to-amber colour that deepens the darker you roast the grains. It sits in the same comforting family as toasted barley tea, so if you already enjoy that gentle, grain-forward style you will feel right at home here.
The drink is a quiet fixture across East Asia. In Korea it is known as yulmu-cha, or yulmu tea, and in Japan it appears as hato-mugi-cha. It is poured at home as an everyday cup, served warm when the weather cools and set out chilled in a jug through the hot months. Because it carries no caffeine, it is an easy drink to reach for in the evening or to offer to almost anyone at the table.
One grain, many names
The small, round, pearly grain travels under a long list of names — Job's tears, coix seed, adlay, Korean yulmu, Japanese hato mugi — but they all point to the same plant, Coix lacryma-jobi. If a shop sells "coix seed tea" or "adlay tea," it is the same thing in a different wrapper. One point worth clearing up: there is also a thick, milky yulmu powder drink made from ground, pre-cooked grains whisked into hot water or milk. That is a separate preparation, closer to a creamy porridge in a cup. Here we are making the clear, roasted-grain tea — the light amber infusion you sip, not the powdered drink.
Why Roasting Is the Key Step
Raw Job's tears grains give a thin, slightly starchy, almost flavourless brew. Dry-roasting is what transforms them. As the grains heat, their surface starches toast and brown, developing the nutty, biscuit-like aroma that defines the drink — the same kind of browning that gives roasted barley and toasted rice their character. Roast lightly for a pale, delicate cup, or take the grains a shade darker for a deeper, toastier flavour and colour. Just stop short of burning them, since scorched grains turn the tea bitter and flat.
How to Make Job's Tears Tea, Step by Step
What you will need
- About 2 to 3 tablespoons of whole Job's tears grains per 3 to 4 cups (roughly 750 ml to 1 litre) of water
- Fresh water
- Optional: a tiny pinch of salt to round out the flavour
- Optional: honey or another sweetener, stirred in after brewing, to taste (skip honey for babies under one year old)
The equipment is simple: a dry frying pan or small pot for roasting, a saucepan or kettle for brewing, and a fine strainer.
The steps
- Rinse and dry. Rinse the grains under cool water to wash off any dust, drain them well, and pat them dry with a towel so they roast rather than steam.
- Dry-roast. Toast the grains in a dry pan over medium-low heat, stirring often, for about 5 to 8 minutes, until they turn golden and smell toasty and nutty. Keep them moving so they colour evenly.
- Simmer or steep. Add the roasted grains to a few cups of water, bring it to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the water turns pale and nutty. For a lighter cup, instead pour just-off-boil water over the roasted grains, cover, and steep for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Strain and serve. Strain out the grains and serve the tea hot, or let it cool and pour it over ice. Add a pinch of salt or a little honey if you like. The softened grains are pleasant to eat, so you can spoon them into a bowl instead of tossing them.
Here is the whole process at a glance:
| Step | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Rinse & dry | 2-3 min | Drain and pat dry so the grains toast, not steam |
| Dry-roast | 5-8 min | Medium-low heat, stir until golden and fragrant |
| Simmer | 15-20 min | Gentle boil, then a low simmer for a fuller cup |
| Steep (lighter option) | 8-10 min | Just-off-boil water over roasted grains, covered |
| Strain & serve | 1 min | Serve hot or over ice; the grains are edible |
Get a Second, Lighter Brew
Roasted grains still have more to give after the first pour. Keep the strained grains in the pot, add fresh hot water, and simmer or steep them again for a shorter time. This second brew comes out paler and more delicate than the first — a nice, low-key cup for later in the day. After that the flavour fades quickly, so a third round is usually not worth the effort. If you are still finding your rhythm with steeping and re-steeping, our guide on how to brew herbal tea covers the general balance of water temperature, timing, and re-brews that applies here too.
Storing Roasted Job's Tears
You can roast a larger batch of grains in one session and store them for quick cups later. Let the roasted grains cool completely, then keep them in an airtight jar away from heat, light, and moisture. Roasted this way, they hold their flavour well for a few weeks; for longer storage, the freezer keeps them fresher. Raw, unroasted grains keep the way any dry grain does — sealed, cool, and dry. Because you are only toasting and simmering a pantry grain, the brewed tea itself is best enjoyed fresh: refrigerate whatever you do not finish and drink it within a day or two.
How It Fits With Other Caffeine-Free Cups
If you like a warm drink without caffeine, Job's tears tea slots neatly beside other soothing roasted and botanical cups. It shares the toasty, grain-forward personality of roasted barley, and it belongs to the wider world of caffeine-free infusions covered in what is herbal tea. For something with more layers and a fruit-and-berry East Asian character, the complex schisandra tea makes an interesting contrast to this gentler, nuttier cup.
A Light Note on Enjoying It Well
Job's tears is a common food grain that people have cooked and sipped for generations, so an everyday cup is simply a comforting drink. As a traditional practice, though, it is often avoided during pregnancy, so anyone who is pregnant may prefer to skip it. Responses vary from person to person, and this is general information rather than medical advice — if you are breastfeeding, taking medication, or living with a health concern, it is worth checking with your own healthcare provider first. As with any new food or drink, start with a modest amount and see how you feel.