~ Matcha ~
The wonderful green powder
The best matcha hails from Japan, particularly the southern half
of the country. What distinguishes it from how other green teas
are grown is that the tea bushes (Camellia sinensis) are covered
for several days prior to harvest to shade them from the sunlight.
This is done to boost the plants' chlorophyll levels, which turns
the leaves a vibrant shade of green.
Once harvested, the
leaves are laid out to air dry and then finely milled into a
delicate powder. It's this powder that can then be whisked with
hot water or steamy milk. The laborious process required to bring
matcha to market is why this version of green tea is so much
pricier than other teas.
Matcha tea, like many other
teas, contains no calories if no sugars are added. So this makes
matcha tea fit perfectly into a healthy lifestyle. In addition,
matcha tea contains more antioxidants compared to other teas.
👉 Grab here your matcha 👈
- Heat water in a kettle or on the stove until it reaches a temperature of about 175°F (80°C).
- While the water is heating up, sift 1 tsp of matcha powder into a small bowl or cup.
- Add a small amount of hot water (about 2 tbsp) to the bowl/cup and whisk the matcha powder vigorously with a bamboo whisk until the mixture becomes smooth.
-
Then add about 100ml of boiling water to the cup and stir to
combine.
Variation tip: add a cloud of almond or preferred milk to your matcha tea. 🥛
Enjoy your delicious homemade matcha tea!
Matcha is an incredibly versatile ingredient, you can make matcha tea, matcha lattes, bake with matcha and also use it in your skincare routine.