I want to tell you a bit about a tea you may not have seen nor heard of before. This tea is usually associated with Japan and the very formal Japanese Tea Ceremony, as well as Zen. The usual method of preparing the tea dates back to the 10th century in China and the best quality tea is grown in Japan.
This tea should really appeal to those people interested in the healthy properties of tea, as well, since there is a lot of scientific foundation to support it's health value. The tea I'm going to talk about is known as "Matcha." You might think of it as an Asian equivalent to a green colored frothy Starbucks latte.
Growing and processing Matcha tea is a very labor intensive process. The tea plants are covered and protected from sunlight for about 20 days prior to harvesting. This forces the production of chlorophyll in the leaves. This process also triggers more flavor and a better texture in the leaves. The tea leaves are carefully selected with only the best and tenderest leaves used. Once picked, the leaves, unlike with most teas, are steamed to stop fermentation, then dried and aged in cold storage to enhance the flavor. This process takes about 6 months. The final step is to grind the leaves...again a very intricate process....until the tea is in the form of a very fine, rich green powder.
Matcha has about three times as much caffeine than regular tea...similar to a cup of strong coffee. It is very rich with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, especially one called polyphenols, which have been tied to protection against heart disease and cancer, as well as better blood sugar regulation, blood pressure reduction, and anti-aging. Matcha contains a polyphenol called, "EGCG," which research has shown causes the slowing and even halting of certain cancer cell growth.
Flavor? Well, Matcha is different. The taste is strong and some people have even described it as similar to spinach, however this may have something to do with the rich green color appearance. Since it is a strong taste, there are people who prefer to add some sugar to it, as well.
There are two traditional ways to prepare Matcha and both result in something of a "foamy" appearance. I'll explain the process in a moment. You may choose to just prepare the tea without the foam, but it's not quite the same to me. The two styles of foaming tea are called "usucha" and "koicha" in Japanese. Usucha is a "thin" tea, while Koicha is a thicker version.
You do not prepare Matcha with boiling water! If the water is boiling, you want to allow it to cool to about 185 F degrees before making your tea. There is a special, tiny teaspoon, or "chashaku" to measure the powder into the cup, or "chawan." You also MUST have a small bamboo whisk to mix the tea and to foam it. The diameter of the cup must be such that you can easily use the whisk inside the cup. Since the powder tends to clump in the container, be sure to break up all the clumps and sift it before using. Little bamboo Matcha tool sets, including the measuring spoon, whisk and tool to break up clumps are readily available on Amazon for ten dollars or less.
Let's make Usucha, or thin tea. Sift and measure one teaspoon of Matcha powder into the cup. Pour in 3 ounces of the 185 F degree water. Using the bamboo whisk, working in an "M" shaped motion, begin whisking until you get tiny bubbles appearing on the surface of the water. You dont' want big bubbles...just small ones...for a frothy sort of appearance. The tea is now ready to drink. If the taste is too "grassy," you may add some sugar.
Preparing Koicha is a very similar process except you use more tea...about 3 times as much and when whisking, you whisk in and up and down motion, creating a thicker, foamier brew...almost like a whipped cream on the surface when you're finished. Naturally, it is much stronger flavored, as well.
There are several variations for preparing Matcha and as it is becoming a very "trendy" sort of drink for many upscale specialty coffee shops, the list grows as each come up with their own concoctions.
MATCHA SHOULD BE CONSUMED AS SOON AS IT IS PREPARED, SINCE IT IS A POWDER AND IF LEFT SITTING VERY LONG, THE POWER AND THE WATER WILL BEGIN TO SEPARATE. ENJOY THE TEA RIGHT AWAY!
Once you open a jar of Matcha, air will begin to oxidize the powder and it will lose some of it's wonderful properties, so it's suggested to use an opened container within six months or less. You will find a large variety of Matcha tea available on Amazon, at many online tea businesses or probably your local Asian store. As with most products, the higher the price, the most likely the better quality tea you will get. If you've not experienced the flavor and qualities of this tea, I would recommend that you give it a try.
I have only touched on the surface of Matcha tea here.....just an introduction. If you would like to learn more about it, you may find tons of material, history and information on the Internet. If you have questions, please feel free to email me at: stan.kain@gmail.com You may also subscribe to my Recipe Blog and receive updates and new recipes and information as I add it to the blog. And share with friends when you find something you enjoy!
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