Matcha
Matcha is finely stone-ground shaded Japanese tea leaf (tencha), whisked into water so the whole leaf is consumed, giving a vivid green, umami-rich drink.
Definition
Matcha is made by grinding tencha, shaded and unrolled tea leaf, into a fine powder, with particles typically under about 10-20 microns. Because the powder is suspended in water rather than steeped and discarded, the drinker consumes the entire leaf, including its fiber, chlorophyll, catechins, L-theanine and caffeine. Powdered tea was introduced to Japan from Song-dynasty China, traditionally credited to the monk Eisai in the late 12th century. It became the center of the Japanese tea ceremony, chanoyu, formalized by Sen no Rikyu in the 16th century. The main producing regions are Uji in Kyoto and Nishio in Aichi, with growing production in Kagoshima and Shizuoka. Matcha is prepared two ways. Usucha (thin tea) uses about 2 g whisked with 60-70 ml of water into a light froth. Koicha (thick tea) uses about 4 g with 30-40 ml, kneaded slowly into a dense, glossy paste. Koicha requires high-grade matcha because any bitterness is magnified. Lower grades are used in lattes, sweets and cooking.
In Depth
For usucha, sift 2 g (about 1 heaped chashaku scoop or 1/2 teaspoon) into a warmed bowl, add 60-70 ml at 70-80°C (158-176°F), and whisk with a chasen in a fast M or W pattern for 15-20 seconds until fine foam forms. Sifting prevents clumps.
A 2 g serving contains roughly 60-80 mg of caffeine, more than most steeped green teas because you consume the whole leaf. Shading also leaves matcha high in L-theanine, the amino acid behind its sweet, savory taste.
Fresh, good matcha is bright jade green, smells sweet and grassy, and tastes smooth with little bitterness. Dull olive or yellow powder is low-grade or oxidized. Opened matcha fades in weeks: keep it sealed, refrigerated, and use within about a month.
See Also
- Japanese Tea Ceremony
- Stone-Ground Tea
- Uji Tea