How to Brew Matcha Tea

Perhaps each of us has heard about a drink with growing popularity, green matcha tea, at least once. In addition to the difference in taste and cultivation methods, it also differs from ordinary green tea by the method of brewing. All because just pouring boiling water over the matcha and letting it brew means getting something completely different from what you need.

We at 5-Minute Crafts found out how to cook matcha to get the most out of its taste and benefits.

Step #1: Prepare the tools.

Traditionally, the following items are required to make matcha:

• Powdered matcha tea
• A bowl
• A bamboo whisk (can be replaced with a usual kitchen whisk or electrical milk frother)
• A scoop
• A sifter

Step #2: Sift it.

Take a sifter, place it over the bowl, and put about 1 tsp to 2 tsp of matcha into it. Sifting can help you get rid of lumps. You can “push” the tea through the sift into the cup with the back of the spoon.

Step #3: Heat the water.

Making the drink doesn’t require boiling water, and it’s important to keep that in mind. The water temperature should be about 175°F. The best option to get it to this temperature is to use a kettle with temperature control. But if you don’t have one, watching the water heat up will be enough — it should be lightly steaming, not boiling.

Step #4: Mix it.

After the water starts to steam, you don’t need to pour all of it on the matcha powder. It would be more correct to first add a bit, about 55 ml to 60 ml, and mix the tea powder thoroughly.

Step #5: Whisk it.

After you have mixed the matcha with hot water, add 170 ml to 180 ml of water and whisk the drink thoroughly until the appearance of foam. If you do it by hand, then it’s better not to move the whisk in a circle, but rather, to move it back and forth or in an “M” or “W” shape — this way, you will get more foam. The matcha is now ready to use.

Bonus: matcha latte

Foamy matcha goes well with different types of milk. To make a matcha latte, simply add heated milk into the bowl after you finish the cooking process and make sure to whisk it again. You can also add sweeteners as per your taste.