How To Make Traditional Green Tea Matcha
There are hundreds of methods of making matcha floating around the Internet. Some don't specify how much water to use and some do.
Some suggest you have to sieve your matcha and some don't. Some tell you to make a thick paste first before adding more water and some add more water initially.
I want you to keep this in mind should you come across a method that looks a bit different than the Wild method below.
Luckily for you, the following method for preparing matcha is the result of testing the many methods I'm referring to. And not only have we done the testing for you, but we've also figured out the best way to make matcha while protecting matcha's benefits.
You see, the first and foremost consideration to us at Wild Foods is preserving the quality of the matcha (or any ingredient).
And as far as matcha goes, if you are going to spend a healthy amount of money (pun intended) on a premium product such as Wild Matcha, you want to make sure you are getting every iota of nutrition out of it, right?
Exactly.
After nutrition, we want to produce the best tasting matcha experience possible. And lucky for us all, there's a way to make matcha taste delicious while still maintaining the nutritional integrity of the ingredient.
Let's look at how to do that.
But first, there's a rule of matcha that you should learn. It's this: matcha is extremely sensitive to heat and light. Never ever pour boiling water over matcha. (Or any green tea, for that matter.)
Water that is too hot not only destroys the delicate nutrition in your matcha powder, but it also fails to bring out the the best umami flavor that is part of the matcha flavor experience while turning your beautiful matcha into a cup of liquid bitterness.
This is why we recommend a maximum water temperature of 175°, with 165° being then ideal temperature for preparing matcha.
Another thing I see lacking in matcha recipes around the world wide web is exact measurements. I like exact measurements. I like to know, by weight, how much of an ingredient I should be using.
This probably comes from my coffee and espresso disciplines, but either way, our method requires a scale and a thermometer to get everything just right. These are essential kitchen tools and you should invest in each.
The last point I want to make about preparing matcha relates to cold water. Some Japanese tea masters only use cold water to prepare their matcha because they feel it brings out the best umami flavor. We are going to use a hybrid of this recommendation to make our matcha.
Using cold water in the initial water pour is not just for umami, it's also for protecting the matcha from the hot water you are going to use to finish the drink.
I'm not going to take credit for this technique, and I actually don't remember where I read it initially, but I do remember it making so much sense to me that I knew I was going to use this step in my matcha method from then on.
Alright, let's make some Wild Matcha!
How To Make Matcha Tea
The Wild Method
Ratio used: 1.5g matcha (~1/2 tsp) to 4 ounce water (113g)
Need:
- Premium matcha meant for drinking - Wild Matcha
- Bowl
- Bamboo Whisk or Handheld frother
- TSP or matcha chashaku ladle
- 6 ounces 165° filtered water
- Optional: small wire sieve
Process:
1. Pour 2 ounces hot water into your bowl to preheat for a minute
2. Discard water and wipe dry
3. Place bowl on scale and tare
4. Add 1.5g matcha - about 1 and a half chashaku ladle scoops
4a. Choose: Sift matcha through sieve into bowl or take bamboo whisk or frother and gently flatten out the matcha. You want to remove clumps.
5. Pour 1 ounce (28g) cold water over matcha (This helps protect the matcha from the hot water in step 7)
6. Use your whisk in a circular motion to make a thick paste
7. After all matcha is incorporated, add 3 ounces of 165° water
8. If using bamboo whisk: whisk matcha using a "W" and "M" path up and down utilizing your wrist. If using a electric frother: place it at the bottom of the bowl and start with short pulses to make sure you don't spill any precious matcha.
9. Whisk until frothy and you have a nice white crema with small bubbles
10. It is now ready to drink! You can stir in some honey or preferred sweetener or add steamed milk for a matcha latte. You can also add more water to increase the yield (it will dilute) or can finish with cream or frothed milk.
Once learning how matcha is made, many assume you can take any green tea and grind it into a matcha powder, but that's not the case.
Matcha is a specialty grown tea requiring a specific climate, lots of labor and an expert farmer who is experienced in tea growing for this specific type.
This is why high quality matcha is always expensive and difficult to find; there is no good way to cheaply produce matcha.
With Wild Matcha we ensure that you are getting the highest quality at the lowest possible price. Here's to your health!
