Usucha
Usucha is thin matcha: about 2 g of powdered tea whisked with 60-70 ml of water into a frothy bowl, the everyday form of matcha.
Definition
Usucha (薄茶, "thin tea") is the most common way to prepare matcha in Japan, both in the tea ceremony and at home. A small amount of powder is whisked with hot water in a chawan using a bamboo chasen until the tea is evenly suspended and topped with fine foam. In formal chanoyu, usucha is served after koicha, the thick tea, near the end of a full gathering (chaji), and on its own at shorter gatherings (chakai). Each guest receives an individual bowl, often with a sweet (higashi, dry confection) eaten beforehand to balance the tea's slight bitterness. Different schools whisk usucha differently. The Urasenke school favours a thick, even layer of fine foam over the whole surface; Omotesenke whisks less, leaving a crescent of bare tea; Mushakōjisenke uses the least foam. All three agree on the main goal: no lumps, no large bubbles, and a smooth, bright green liquor. Usucha tolerates a wider range of matcha grades than koicha. Matcha sold as "ceremonial" covers most of what is suitable, and the stronger, more bitter grades meant for cooking make harsh usucha.
In Depth
Method: sift about 2 g (two heaped chashaku scoops) of matcha into a warmed, dried chawan. Add 60-70 ml of water at 70-80°C (158-176°F). Whisk in a fast "M" or "W" motion from the wrist, keeping the tines just off the bottom of the bowl, for 15-20 seconds, then draw the whisk up through the center of the foam.
Sifting matters more than whisking technique: matcha clumps from static electricity, and lumps will not dissolve. A small fine-mesh strainer works.
Usucha should be drunk within a minute or two of whisking; the powder settles and the foam breaks. Expect roughly 60-80 mg of caffeine in a 2 g serving, more than a typical cup of steeped green tea because the whole leaf is consumed.
See Also
- Japanese Tea Ceremony
- Chanoyu
- Matcha Preparation