How to make matcha
To make matcha, sift one to two grams of powder (about half a teaspoon) into a bowl, add 70 to 80 ml of hot water at about 70 to 80 degrees Celsius, and whisk briskly in a W motion with a bamboo whisk until a fine foam forms. It takes under two minutes.
What you need to make matcha
The traditional kit is small, and every piece has a practical job.
- Matcha powder: ceremonial grade for drinking plain, culinary grade for lattes.
- Chasen (bamboo whisk): its 80 to 120 fine prongs create the foam a spoon cannot.
- Chawan (bowl): wide enough to whisk in. Any wide cereal-sized bowl works to start.
- Sifter and scoop: sifting stops clumps; a chashaku scoop holds about a gram.
How to make traditional matcha (usucha)
The standard thin tea, the way most matcha is drunk in Japan.
- Boil the kettle, then let it sit a few minutes to drop to about 70 to 80°C.
- Sift 1.5 to 2 grams of matcha (about half to one teaspoon) into the bowl.
- Add a splash of the water and work it into a smooth paste to prevent clumps.
- Add the rest, about 70 to 80 ml in total.
- Whisk fast in a W or M motion from the wrist for 15 to 30 seconds until foamy.
- Drink straight from the bowl while warm.
How do you make a matcha latte
Make a concentrated base the same way: one to two teaspoons of culinary grade matcha whisked into 30 to 50 ml of hot water, then pour over 200 ml of hot or cold milk and sweeten to taste. Oat milk is a popular pairing because its natural sweetness rounds off matcha's astringency. For an iced version, shake the base with cold milk and ice.
Can you make matcha without a whisk
Yes. A small jar with a tight lid shaken hard for 15 seconds, an electric milk frother, or a blender will all disperse matcha well enough for daily drinking, especially in lattes. The chasen still makes the smoothest, foamiest plain bowl, which is why it remains the one purchase worth making if you drink matcha straight. Whatever tool you use, water below boiling and a quick sift do more for flavour than anything else.
Common questions
- Why should the water not be boiling?
- Boiling water scalds the powder and pulls out extra catechin bitterness, flattening matcha's sweetness. Around 70 to 80 degrees Celsius keeps the flavour smooth. Just let a boiled kettle sit for a few minutes.
- How much matcha powder per cup?
- About 1.5 to 2 grams, or half to one level teaspoon, per serve of plain matcha. Lattes often use up to two teaspoons so the flavour carries through the milk.
- Why is my matcha clumpy?
- Matcha is so fine that static and humidity make it clump. Sifting before whisking, and making a paste with a little water first, gives a smooth result every time.