Matcha is a different ritual from any other tea: instead of steeping leaves, you whisk the whole powdered leaf into the water and drink the lot. A few things separate a smooth bowl from a lumpy, bitter one. Sift the powder first so it does not clump, use water cooled to around 75C rather than boiling, and whisk briskly in a zig-zag until a fine, creamy froth forms on top. It takes a minute and is oddly satisfying to do.
Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for the How to Whisk Traditional Matcha recipe. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/recipes/matcha/how-to-whisk-traditional-matcha/
You'll need
- 2g Loyd Matcha Japanese Green Tea Powder (1 chashaku scoop, about 1 level teaspoon)
- 60ml freshly drawn water cooled to 75C
- 1 220ml chawan bowl, warmed
- 1 small bamboo whisk (chasen)
- 1 fine sieve for sifting
Method
- Warm the bowl with a splash of hot water and tip it out.
- Sift 2g of matcha (about a level teaspoon) into the bowl to break up any clumps; this is the step that stops it going lumpy.
- Boil the kettle and let it cool for a couple of minutes to around 75C.
- Pour 60ml of the cooled water over the matcha.
- Whisk briskly in a W or zig-zag motion with a bamboo whisk for about thirty seconds, until a creamy froth holds on the surface.
- Drink it straight from the bowl, in two or three sips, while the froth is still up.
- Tip: no bamboo whisk? A small electric milk frother does a decent job of it.
Want the background, not just the brew?
Brewed with: Loyd Matcha Japanese Green Tea Powder, 40g
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