Matcha Preparation

The art of matcha preparation

First you should prepare your bamboo whisk (chasen). Immerse it in a bowl of warm water for about 5-10 minutes. This will make the bristles more supple and prevent them from breaking easily and quickly when whisking.

Boil fresh, soft water. If your tap water is hard or calcareous, filter your water or use still mineral water. Still water is the best choice, especially for high-quality matcha - it enhances the taste enormously!

Allow the boiled water to cool to at least approx. 80 °C. You can either open the kettle and wait or decant the water several times into a cold container to bring it to the right temperature (each decanting cools the water by around 4-5 °C). For precision lovers: a special thermometer helps to achieve the perfect temperature. A kettle with an adjustable temperature is also excellent. Remember that the taste of matcha can vary depending on the water temperature. You should avoid water above 80 °C at all costs, but matcha can also be prepared at 60 °C or 70 °C. However, if you use cold water, it will not foam as intensely.

Take the bamboo whisk out of the water bath and pour the water out of the bowl (or use it to water your plants - they will thank you!).

The right portion of matcha

Pour about 1 to 2 grams of matcha (1-2 bamboo spoons or a level teaspoon) into the bowl. If the matcha has formed lumps in the tin, sieve the powder through a fine kitchen sieve. Don't worry, the lumps will also dissolve in the next steps.

Add a small sip of cold or warm water to the matcha and stir with a bamboo whisk to form a smooth paste. The consistency should resemble a roux or a creamy sauce. Stir until there are no more lumps.

Fill the matcha bowl with the remaining water to no more than half full.

Whisk the matcha with the bamboo whisk until frothy! Move the whisk quickly in an “M” shape. Make sure that you don't stir all around, as this will not distribute the matcha powder optimally and the foam will form better in an “M” or zigzag shape. Whisk loosely and quickly from the wrist - this takes about 15 seconds. Don't be discouraged if you don't get it perfect the first time; practice makes perfect!

Have fun making your perfect matcha!

You can find a video on how to prepare it right here:

Matcha preparation with a modern twist

Sometimes you just don't have the time or the leisure to prepare matcha using the traditional method. That's not a problem. You can also easily add about 1-2 grams of matcha to a normal drinking glass or cup. Simply add water and use an electric matcha frother to froth it up.

The clumps usually don't dissolve quite as well as with a bamboo whisk, but the beneficial effect of the matcha is still retained! Remember: here too, the water should never be hotter than 80 °C. This way, you can enjoy your matcha quickly and easily without having to compromise on taste!

A wide range of uses for matcha

Matcha is not only suitable for classic preparation with water! Feel free to experiment and stir matcha into different juices, such as fresh pineapple juice or orange juice, or even milk alternatives such as rice milk or soy milk. However, you should not use a bamboo whisk for this - an electric matcha frother is the best tool for distributing the matcha powder evenly in the liquid.

But that's not all! Matcha is an excellent ingredient in various dishes. Simply replace the cocoa in your marble cake with matcha powder or add a special touch to desserts such as vanilla cream. Not only does it look great, it also gives your dishes a delicious kick! The cooking and baking properties of matcha make it the perfect ingredient.

And don't forget the smoothies! Matcha is a great addition to fruity or vegetable smoothies. The healthy ingredients enrich your drink and provide an extra energy boost. You can find inspiration for matcha in smoothies in our 'Matcha for smoothies' section.

If you're looking for even more ideas and tips on what you can do with matcha, take a look at our matcha books or the recipe page at www.matcha.de.

P.S.: In our experience, matcha tastes more intense and delicious with plant-based products than with animal-based ones. A matcha latte with almond milk is simply irresistible!

The German press agency produced videos with us on the subject of matcha at the beginning of 2015.

The first video clearly explains how to prepare matcha in the classic way:

 

The second video shows alternatives to classic matcha preparation:

 

Do you have any questions about preparation?

We look forward to hearing from you! We will be happy to help and advise you at any time.