How to make matcha tea

How to make matcha tea the traditional way?

Recipes / January 19, 2020

In this article we will show you how to make matcha tea the traditional way using both tea ceremony methods.  The roots of traditional matcha tea trace all the way back to the first discovery of green tea in China around 2737 B.C.  It was actually discovered by accident when the Chinese emperor (Shennong) at that time was drinking boiled water with a dead tea leaf in it.  The emperor found the beverage to be very refreshing and so he had it made.

It was from then on, the story began of experimenting with loose leaf tea and developing matcha tea production methods.  If you are keen to learn more about the history of matcha you can read our detailed article, there is also a great resource with a ‘1000 Years of Tea‘ timeline of events.

Traditionally matcha tea was used as part of the Japanese tea ceremony, with Zen Buddhism being a key influence.  Monks used matcha throughout centuries because it simulated effects very similar to meditation.  Sipping their matcha tea helped the monks stay calm, focused and cultivated an awakened presence.

Simple steps how to make matcha tea

There are 2 traditional methods for preparing Japanese matcha tea; Koicha (thick matcha) and Usucha (thin matcha).  In the Japanese tea ceremony each person drinks from their own bowl of usucha, however with koicha the bowl is passed round and shared.

Other than the thickness of the matcha, the only difference is koicha is a little sweeter and mellower than usucha which is slightly more bitter.  Both methods are really simple and only require 2 ingredients, matcha tea powder and hot water.

Usucha Matcha (thin matcha)

  1. Boil water (preferably filtered) and leave to cool to about 75oC
  2. Put 2g of matcha (2 scoops of a bamboo spoon or 1 tea spoon) into the bowl
  3. Add around 70ml of water, whisk until frothy and matcha powder is dissolved

Koicha (thick matcha)

  1. Boil water (preferably filtered) and leave to cool to about 75oC
  2. Put 4g of matcha (5 scoops of a bamboo spoon or 2 tea spoons) into the bowl
  3. Add around 25ml of water, whisk until frothy and matcha powder is dissolved
  4. Add another 35ml of water, stir until thick and smooth

The process of preparing your matcha is calming and allows you to be in the beauty of moment, so enjoy making your matcha how you like it!