Matcha
Matcha is finely ground green tea leaves whisked with hot water into a frothy, vivid green drink. It tastes grassy, slightly sweet and gently bitter.
Matcha Scoop: Evanhoever, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Where it comes from
Shade-grown tea leaves are steamed, dried and stone-milled into powder, a method long associated with Japan, particularly around Uji. Beyond the traditional bowl, matcha is now popular in lattes and desserts.
Explore the cuisine of Japan.
Recipe
Make Matcha at home
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons matcha powder
- 3 oz hot water (about 175 F / 80 C)
- For a latte: 1 cup warm milk or oat milk
- 1 teaspoon honey or sugar (optional)
- Ice for an iced version
How it's made
- Sift the matcha into a wide warm bowl to avoid lumps.
- Pour in a splash of hot water and stir into a smooth paste.
- Add the rest of the water.
- Whisk briskly in a W motion with a bamboo whisk or small hand frother until frothy.
- For a latte, pour the matcha over warm milk and sweeten if you like.
- Drink right away while the foam is fresh.
Variations
- Iced matcha latte
- Matcha with sweetened condensed milk
- Matcha with ice cream (affogato style)
Cook’s tip: Never use boiling water; it makes matcha bitter.
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About this page
Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.
Photo credit
- Matcha Scoop: Evanhoever, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)