How to prepare a cup of matcha?
3-steps guide on how to make a perfect cup of matcha.
1. Preparing the tools and matcha
Warm the tea bowl with hot water. Warm the tea whisk with hot water as well to soften it. Add 1.5g of matcha to the tea bowl (one and a half scoops, or one small teaspoon). Sifting it through a tea strainer will prevent lumps and make it easier to prepare.
Tips:
If you don’t have a matcha bowl, you can use a regular bowl or a tea cup with wide bottom instead. When pouring matcha into a warmed bowl, be careful not to leave any water in it as it will get wet and harden.
2. Pour in hot water
Pour about 70ml of hot water that has been cooled to about 80℃ into the bowl containing the matcha.
Tips:
To prevent lumps, first add a small amount of hot water, lightly knead with a tea whisk, then pour in the hot water and brew. Each time you transfer the hot water to a different container, the temperature will drop by about 8 to 10 degrees. Use this as a guide for cooling the water.
3. Prepare tea using a tea whisk
Stir the tea whisk(chasen) quickly up and down in an “m” shape for about 15 seconds. Once nice bubbles form, smooth them out with the tip of the whisk and it’s done.
Tips:
The trick is to hold the bowl firmly in your hand and use your wrist to quickly shake the chasen.
