How to Make Matcha

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

A Tea Sommelier's guide to making matcha like a pro.

Prep Time4

Total Time4

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Japanese

Servings: serving

Author: Jee Choe

Ingredients

1 teaspoon matcha or 2 matcha scoops
¼ cup water + more to warm bowl

Instructions

Boil water.
Green tea is very tricky when it comes to water temperature. Use simmered water, not boiling hot. Use an electric kettle with a temperature setting to get the correct water temperature. Boil more than needed since you want extra to warm up the teapot.
Warm up bowl and rinse matcha whisk.
Pour hot water into the bowl halfway and swirl the hot water around. Dip the whisk and move it around to soak the tips to soften them. Pour out the water and dry the bowl using a clean cloth or paper towel.
Scoop and sift matcha into the warmed up bowl.
Place a mesh strainer over the dry matcha bowl and using the matcha scoop, put matcha into the strainer. Sift matcha, using the scoop to help sift.
Pour 2 tablespoons of hot water into the bowl and whisk.
This step is a make sure you don't have clumps and it's essentially making a matcha paste. Move the whisk around slowly in half circles until all clumps are gone.
Add 2 more tablespoons of hot water. Whisk vigorously.
Hold the handle of the whisk using your thumb and index finger, holding the whisk upright. Use the rest of the fingers to rest to support the whisk. The whisking movement should come from the wrist. Briskly move the whisk in a zig-zag or a “W” shape. You want to make around 10-15 W’s. You can also push any bubbles to the side of the bowl to pop.
Drink from the bowl.
Matcha is meant to be sipped using both hands. Place your left hand under the bowl and your right hand rounding the side of the bowl. Traditional matcha in a bowl is meant to be finished in three sips.

Notes

Matcha quality is easy to tell by just looking at the color. The more vibrant green the matcha, the better the quality, and more expensive.
Make matcha using good quality water for a better, cleaner taste. I recommend using filtered water for making any kind of tea.
When you first use your whisk, make sure to soak it in warm water for about 3 minutes to soften the tips. Try not to get the handle of the whisk wet, only the bottom below the dark thread.

Nutrition