How to Prepare Matcha Tea

Matcha tea is made from the grinding of young tea leaves into a bright green powder, then whisking with hot water. The leaves are usually grown under shade to boost chlorophyll levels; the leaves are handpicked and then ground into a fine powder with granite stone. It contains Vitamin C, selenium, zinc, magnesium, EGCG, chromium, and fiber. And is helpful for detoxification, mood enhancement, calming the mind, reducing cholesterol levels, and improving metabolism and the immune system. But how is it made?

Equipment used

Before we get to making matcha tea, we need to know the equipment required for the procedure. Matcha is popular in Japan, and as such, a lot of the tools used in preparing it are traditional Japanese tools. But not all of us have that at home. How do we go about it? Well, here are they are and the regular kitchen alternatives you can use.

• Chawan is a traditional tea bowl. You can use a regular mug instead.
• Chasen is a bamboo whisk. While the prongs are very fine and suitable to give you lovely, frothy tea, you can replace it with a regular coffee frother.
• Chashaku scoop is a bamboo scoop used for measuring tea into your cup, but you can use a regular teaspoon.
• Furui, which is a sifter, can be replaced with an ordinary kitchen strainer.

How to prepare it

• Step 1: Sift the powder into a cup using your filter or strainer. Though some people skip this step, it's necessary if you want smoother, finer tea.
• Step 2: Pour in your hot water. It shouldn't be boiling, but just a little under boiling temperature.
• Step 3: Whisk it vigorously in a zigzag motion until it all turns frothy. For this step, using the traditional whisk has an edge because it ensures there are no lumps.
• Step 4: Enjoy your matcha tea!

FAQs

How much matcha tea should you drink a day?

While matcha is safe to drink every day, a little too much of anything could become a poison of itself. Also, matcha tea contains some caffeine, and you don't want to overdo that! So, it's best to stick within the limits of 1-2 cups a day.

How do you make matcha tea taste better?

Even though several people can consume matcha without additives, its taste isn't palatable to everyone. As a way to sweeten it, you can add either any kind of syrup, honey, sugar, or even a sugar substitute, like stevia leaf.

Does matcha tea need to be boiled?

No! You must never use boiling water anywhere near a matcha pot, as that will scorch the leaves and completely ruin the flavour. It's best to use water just below boiling temperature when brewing it.

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