I’ve gotten a lot of questions in our Q&A about how I make my matcha every morning, so I’ve turned it into a recipe with a video showing you how I do it. It’s quite simple – whisk the matcha powder with hot water, then pour steamed milk over top.
The key to a good matcha is high quality matcha powder and having the correct equipment (all linked in the recipe) – a matcha whisk (chasen) and a matcha bowl (chawan) for whisking.
Ingredient highlight
Matcha! This popular antioxidant-rich powdered green tea from Japan is made from finely ground shade-grown green tea leaves, resulting in a bright green powder. Traditionally, matcha is served in it’s purest form – whisked with a small amount of hot water.
Matcha contains caffeine, but not as much as coffee. It also contains L-theanine, an amino acid that gives you a more calm and balanced boost of energy and promotes relaxation and alertness. This is why the caffeine effects of matcha feel more mild and stable when compared to coffee. Matcha is also high in vitamin C, chlorophyll, and polyphenols called catechins, which are potent antioxidants.
There are a lot of matcha brands out there and they vary a lot in terms of quality. A low quality/cheaper matcha will have a muddled green color and taste more bitter and grassy (yuck). A high quality matcha will be a bright green color and high in umami flavor with a slight sweetness. This Mizuba Culinary Matcha is what I use everyday and is hands down the best price for the quality. It’s a woman owned company that started in Portland, OR and they source all of their matcha from small organic farms in Japan.
P.S. Have you tried my Maple Sesame Matcha Bites?
Servings 1
Prep Time 5 minutes Ingredients
- 2-4 g high quality matcha powder (1-2 teaspoons)*
- 2 oz (1/4 cup) hot or boiling water (175-190F ideally)
- 6-8 oz whole milk or milk of choice**
- Sweeten it up! ~ If you like your matcha sweeter, you can mix in maple syrup or honey to the hot frothed matcha before pouring the milk in.
- *My go-to is this Mizuba Culinary Matcha. For a high quality and organic matcha, the price can’t be beat. You can find cheaper matcha online or at grocery stores, but you’re sacrificing quality and taste.
- **Use a milk that froths nicely. I find whole milk is the best for texture and flavor.
- Note: ~ I usually just eyeball the amount of matcha, water, and milk. You can find what you like best. I like it strong – so lots of matcha and less milk.
Matcha tools:
- You can find sets that come with a matcha bowl (chawan) and whisk (chasen) – click here to browse sets. This one is cute! I got my equipment from local stores and in Japan.
- High quality matcha powder
Instructions
- To a matcha bowl (chawan) or a small bowl with a wider base, sift in the matcha powder using a small fine mesh sieve/strainer (this ensures no lumps and a smoother matcha).
- Add the hot water and use your matcha to whisk vigorously in a “Z” pattern, making sure to use the entire width of the bowl, until a foam appears on top (about 15 seconds).
For hot:
- At this point, you can choose to drink your matcha straight from the bowl or pour it into a small mug and continue with the recipe.
- Add your milk to a milk frother, froth it up, and pour it into your mug or bowl. I usually give it a gentle stir to combine, then drink immediately!
For iced:
- Instead of frothing the milk, fill a cup with ice and pour in about 6 ounces of milk. Pour your frothed matcha over top. Stir and enjoy!
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
Substitutions:
- X
Storage:
- X
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- X
leave your comments!