How To Make Matcha
With a little planning, it's really not that difficult to make matcha!
Here's what you will need...
- A High quality matcha
- A Matcha bowl ( "matcha-wan" or just "cha-wan" in Japanese)
- Tea Whisk ("chasen" in Japanese. You really need one of these, not an option!)
- A Bamboo Matcha Spoon ("chashaku" - You really do need one of these too!)
- A Matcha sifter (aka "matcha furui" - optional)
- Possibly a screen for sifting matcha (optional)
Step 1.
When brewing matcha, heat your matcha bowl by adding very hot water and allowing it to sit for a few minutes. Then, empty and DRY COMPLETELY.
Step 2.
With special bamboo tea spoon, add 1 1/2 ~ 1 3/4 spoonful of thin matcha to the bowl (double for the thick koicha type). We like to sift it through a screen for a more consistent, frothier brew, but this is optional. Note: If you are using a regular teaspoon instead of the traditional Japanese bamboo matcha spoon, only add about 1/4 of a teaspoon!
Step 3.
Add about 1/2 cup of hot water with a temperature of about 175F/80C. Important: This is somewhat less than boiling.
Step 4
Wet your tea whisk. Next, whisk briskly in a "W" shaped pattern for a minute or two until the matcha froths to a nice green colored foam.
Enjoy!