The standard matcha whisking method, made to be a normal, liquid consistency. We recommend drinking usucha at teatime for an energetic boost. It goes well with chocolate, cakes, and other confections, Western or Japanese.
1.
Sift matcha
2g (0.07 oz)
1.5 heaping tea ladles or 1 level teaspoon.
2.
Add hot water
60 mL (2 oz)
80°C (176°F)
Pour boiling water into a teacup to cool it to 80°C, then pour into tea bowl.
3.
Whisk
15 seconds
Whisk vigorously 15 seconds, making an "M" shape.
Whisking Up a Good Foam
The ratio above is a concentrated one, and that’s deliberate: it’s the proportion that makes
a bright, creamy layer of foam easiest to build. Add much more water and thick foam becomes
difficult to develop. If you’d prefer a larger, gentler serving, whisk this bowl first, then
top it up with hot water.
Sifting the powder into the bowl first breaks up the clumps that form naturally in matcha
and lets you whisk quickly and evenly. Once the foam has volume, slow down and rest the tips
of the chasen on the surface for a few
seconds. That last pass breaks the larger bubbles and leaves a finer, silkier foam behind.
Try not to whisk much past fifteen seconds, though, since beyond that you draw out
bitterness rather than more foam. Foam fades, too, so this is a bowl to drink soon after
it’s made.
You Don’t Have to Chase Foam
Foam is only one way to enjoy matcha. In some schools of the tea ceremony it’s left out on
purpose, and whisking slowly until the bowl is an even blue-green gives a purer, clearer
taste that shows off the leaves’ nuances. It’s worth trying on a day when you want to meet
your matcha as it is.
Tips from recipe visitors
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