How do I make matcha properly?

Matcha is whole ground leaf suspended in water rather than infused, so every particle ends up in the cup. That is why sifting matters and why temperature is unforgiving — there is no filter between the leaf and you.

What you'll need

• Matcha powder
• Small sieve
• Bowl
• Bamboo whisk (optional)
• Thermometer (optional)

Step by step

1. Buy the right grade.Ceremonial grade for drinking straight; culinary grade for lattes and baking. Culinary grade drunk plain is noticeably bitter.
2. Sift the powder into the bowl.Matcha clumps in storage and unsifted powder will not whisk smooth. A small sieve and ten seconds prevents every lump.
3. Use about 2g of powder.Roughly a heaped half teaspoon, or a proper bamboo scoop twice. Weighing it once establishes what your spoon holds.
4. Use water at around 80°C.Boiling water scalds matcha and makes it distinctly bitter. Let a boiled kettle stand for two or three minutes.
5. Add a small amount of water first and make a paste.A tablespoon or so, whisked to a smooth paste before adding the rest. It prevents lumps far more reliably than adding all the water at once.
6. Whisk briskly in a W or M motion.Not circles, which do not aerate. Fast wrist movement for fifteen to twenty seconds until a fine foam forms on top.
7. Add the rest of the water and whisk again briefly.Around 60-70ml for a traditional preparation, more for a lighter drink.
8. Drink it promptly.Matcha separates as it stands, since it is suspended rather than dissolved. Give it a quick whisk if it settles.

Tips

• A bamboo whisk works far better than a spoon or a fork, but a small electric milk frother is a good substitute.
• Store matcha sealed, cold and dark. It oxidises quickly once opened and goes dull and brownish, which is when it turns bitter.
• For a matcha latte, make the paste first with a little water, then add warm milk. Adding powder straight to milk gives lumps.

Common mistakes

• Using boiling water — It scalds the powder and produces a distinctly bitter drink. Around 80°C is the target.
• Not sifting the powder — Matcha compacts in storage and unsifted powder forms lumps that no amount of whisking removes.
• Using culinary grade for drinking straight — It is intended for lattes and baking where milk and sugar balance it. Drunk plain it is noticeably bitter and astringent.

Questions people ask