Are you interested in creating your own matcha tea ceremony at home, or maybe you just want to learn how to add matcha tea to your daily routine? Whatever the reason might be, we’re going to walk you through the steps on how to prepare the best bowl of matcha tea at home in four simple steps. We’re also going to talk a little bit about why each step matters and how it leads to a better-tasting tea. Later on, we’ll get into more detail to discuss how to improve the foam you create on top of the bowl and make it taste like a latte without adding milk or sugar.
Essential Matcha Utensils
Starting out, let’s talk about what utensils you need to prepare matcha powder green tea. For your convenience, we’ve ranked these tools in order of their importance. You may not need to get all of these, but if you can find just a few, you will really notice a difference in the overall quality of the matcha you create.
The first is the whisk (chassen), which is the most important tool for preparing a bowl of tea. This tool has been used for hundreds of years, and still, nothing really comes close to beating it when it comes to whisking up foamy bowls of matcha tea.
Next is the matcha bowl (chawan), serving several different purposes, especially in the Japanese tea ceremony for its heat retention and ease of whisking.
The furui, or matcha sifter, helps remove clumps in the powder.
The chashaku spoon is designed to perfectly scoop matcha powder.
Preparing the Matcha Powder
The first step of making matcha green tea is to prepare the powder. Most matcha powder comes inside a metal tin to keep it fresh.
Scooping out about 2 grams, which is the perfect amount for a bowl of matcha tea, you can use a bamboo spoon or chashaku. After scooping, you will want to run it through a sifter to remove any clumps that have formed naturally.
Adding the Water
Once the matcha powder is prepared, you are ready to add some water. We recommend using water between 140 and 175 degrees Fahrenheit. For a normal bowl use between 100 to 150 milliliters of water for 2 grams of powder.
Adding a very small amount of water first and then mixing the matcha powder into a paste before adding the remaining water can help smooth out any remaining clumps.
Mixing the Matcha Green Tea
With your matcha paste mixed, it’s time to add the additional water and mix it in. Use the whisk to gently stir the sides of the bowl, ensuring all the powder is mixed in. Once there is no powder or matcha paste stuck to the sides of the bowl, use the whisk to scrape off the bottom of the bowl.
Soaking the matcha whisk before using it can make it more pliable and less likely to break.
Creating the Foam
The final step is creating the foam on top. This layer of green foam serves an important purpose by aerating the tea and giving it a smooth consistency. The chassen, or matcha whisk, is the best tool at creating foam. Using a zigzag motion with the whisk and predominantly using your wrist will help create a nice foam.
If you follow most of these steps but find that your matcha does not produce as good of a foam, consider the powder quality, water temperature, powder to water ratio, and the whisk itself. Investing in high-quality matcha and the proper tools can make a significant difference in your experience.
Now that you know how to make matcha. Thank you so much for reading, and feel free to leave any questions in the comments below. Until then, we’ll see you next time.
Read articles about Match Powder in our Blog.
