Learn How to Prepare Matcha Tea Like a Japanese Tea Master

Learn how to prepare matcha tea from home. Matcha is a diverse ingredient used to produce tea, lattes, baked goods, and even skincare products.

Matcha is abundant in antioxidants, such as polyphenols, which may protect and prevent damage to the body by lowering health risks. It contains a unique blend of l-theanine and caffeine, which may help you relax and focus while also reducing stress.

Tea has long been a popular beverage in Japan. While it has seen many modern transformations, such as the rise in popularity of matcha, which we all adore today, the tea tale is one of the oldest. The oldest known references to tea date from the 8th century found in ancient Japanese manuscripts. Tea was first introduced to Japan by Japanese priests on trips to China, who brought tea back to Japan. Its popularity grew over the years, and it became a staple drink for people from all walks of life. Furthermore, after the invention of sencha tea in the 18th century, many aspects of Japanese society centred on tea and meals to go with it. Tea rituals, in particular, were an important part of Japanese tea culture.

What is Matcha?

“Matsu” means rubbed in Japanese, and “cha” means tea, so “rubbed, or ground tea” is the translation. Matcha is traditionally used in Japanese tea rituals when it is heated and whisked with a unique bamboo whisk. It’s drunk from a matcha bowl after being whisked in hot water. To balance out the sharpness of the tea, it’s frequently served with something sweet on the side.

• Matcha (pronounced MAHT-CHA or MA-CHA) is a powdered Japanese green tea that has been finely pulverised.
• Matcha is traditionally prepared in two ways: thin (Usucha) and thick (Usucha-Usucha-Usucha-Usucha-Usucha-Usucha-Usucha-U (Koicha).
• Thin matcha is a common drink that is whisked until frothy. Thick matcha is produced without froth and is used for ceremonies and special events.
• Matcha is more expensive than other green teas because it involves additional processes in the production process (de-stemming, de-veining, shading the plant, and grinding the leaves).
• For around 20 days before harvest, tea farmers will cover the plants to protect them from direct sunshine. Tea leaves with this shade are nutrient-dense and vivid green in colour.
• Matcha has grown in popularity in recent years, and Starbucks now offers many matcha drinks, including a matcha frappuccino and an iced matcha latte.

Unlike tea, which is steeped in water before being removed, matcha is consumed directly from the leaves, making it much more strong in terms of caffeine and minerals. Matcha can be made in a variety of ways, including using traditional equipment like a bamboo whisk or with just a teaspoon. Here we will demonstrate how to create matcha tea using a Matcha Tea Sets.

Learn How to Prepare Matcha Tea

To achieve the frothy, creamy texture of matcha tea, bamboo whisks (known as chasens) are usually used. The bamboo whisk has been carefully designed to suspend the matcha particles in the water, resulting in much smoother matcha with no sediment at the bottom. Handcrafted bamboo whisks are created from a single piece of bamboo. Bamboo matcha whisks are also long-lasting if properly cared for. A bamboo whisk is well worth the investment if you enjoy matcha. Read on to learn how to prepare matcha tea.

Matcha Tea Ingredients

• Matcha When brewing matcha with only water, choose a vivid green matcha that costs $15-25. Matcha can be used to make lattes at a lower cost.
• Water When brewing any type of tea, we usually recommend using filtered water. It will improve the flavour of your tea over tap water.
• Bowl A matcha bowl should have a level bottom and a large opening to provide the whisk plenty of area to move around.
• Matcha Whisk (chasen) A single piece of bamboo is used to make a matcha whisk. The 80-tip chasen (the number of tips on the bamboo) is the most common, although you may also find 100-tip and 120-tip chasens. The more tips, the easier it is to whisk to achieve a better froth, but they will cost more.
• Mesh Strainer This is key to making a clump-free bowl of matcha.

Making Matcha Green Tea

1. Fill one-third of your matcha bowl with hot water to warm it up. To soften the prongs of your matcha whisk, dip them in warm hot water. Clean the bowl by emptying it and wiping it dry with a clean cloth.
2. In the bottom of the matcha bowl, sift or place 1 level scoop (or 1/2 teaspoon) of matcha. Note: You can either sift this scoop of matcha into the bowl or gently press down with the end of the whisk to break up the powder.
3. Pour in around 70 mL of boiling water (80 degrees Celcius).
4. With one hand, hold the rim of the matcha bowl and the whisk with the other. Whisk vigorously in a “W” motion with your wrist. Lots of bubbles and a thick froth should be seen on the surface.
   Enjoy!

Making Matcha Latte

1. In a cup, put 1-2 tablespoons of matcha (adjust the quantity to your taste).
2. Using a spoon, remove any clumps and thoroughly mix in 2 tablespoons boiling water.
3. Add around 70 MLS of hot water to the mix (80 degrees Celcius).
4. Add two teaspoons of honey or a sweetener of your choice to hot frothy milk. You can modify the sweetness according to your preferences.

Matcha Tip

Tip: Japanese whisks are manufactured from bamboo that has been treated with care to ensure that the tines are both flexible and robust. The froth is easy to make because of the elasticity. If you’re just starting out, choose a cheap matcha whisk made in China or Korea because poor whisking, such as scraping the whisk against the bowl’s bottom, can quickly ruin it. Found this Learn How to Prepare Matcha Tea article interesting? Why not view our collection of products or learn more about matcha on Wikipedia.com.