Matcha Tea

Matcha is a green tea that is grown and produced in Japan. First discovered in China, it wasn't until the 12th century that it became popular in Japan when buddhist monks would drink matcha tea to help them stay awake during long hours of meditation.

It quickly became integrated into Japanese culture and during the 14th century it became a ceremonial drink.

Since then, matcha tea has become increasingly popular worldwide, due to its amazing health benefits and its versatile use in Japanese cuisine.

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How does matcha taste?

Matcha tea tastes bitter and earthy, with hints of freshly cut grass. In a tea ceremony you would serve the tea with the contrastingly sweet wasanbon, Japanese sugar sweets.

This contrast is why matcha powder is so popular in desserts.

How to prepare matcha tea

The traditional way to prepare matcha is with a bamboo whisk and a ceramic bowl. And the most popular style of matcha for drinking is called usucha matcha.

You can use half as much water to make a thicker style of matcha tea to serve in a matcha tea ceremony known as koicha.

There are three main times of day when people traditionally drink matcha: during the morning as part of a breakfast routine, in the afternoon as a pick-me-up, and in the evening as part of a relaxation ritual. Of course, you can drink matcha any time of day that you want!

How to make usucha matcha in three simple steps:

Measure 2 scoops of matcha powder into a matcha bowl using a matcha spoon, chashaku
Pour over 70ml of hot water and whisk back and forth in a W-shaped motion until the tea becomes frothy
Drink straight away from the matcha bowl

How is matcha different from green tea?

Matcha is a type of green tea, but it is unique in several ways.

The key difference between matcha and other green teas lies in the fact that you consume the entire leaf when drinking matcha. This is because the powdered matcha is whisked into water whereas green tea is made by steeping and removing the tea leaves.

This means that you get a higher concentration of nutrients, including caffeine, than you would from other green teas.

Does matcha contain caffeine?

Matcha does contain caffeine, and is more caffeinated than green tea but it's actually less caffeinated than coffee.

Hot matcha usually has more caffeine than iced because the boiling water helps to release more caffeine.

Whilst matcha may not give you the same jolt of energy as coffee, it can help you to focus and feel more alert. This is because matcha also contains L-theanine, an amino acid which is believed to promote relaxation without causing drowsiness.

Learn more about matcha in our matcha guides & recipes:

Matcha lends itself to baking due to its unsweetened nature and vivid green colour - so it can easily be used in a variety of recipes, see a couple of our favourites below.

Where to buy Matcha Tea Accessories

Or if you are wanting to have a complete set for your Matcha Tea, check out our Matcha Set Collection and our Matcha Bowls collection.

From traditional Japanese usucha matcha to delightful recipes like Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream, you’ll find the very best Matcha tea here. Buy your matcha tea at Sous Chef UK.

Once you've found your perfect matcha tea, choose a matcha set to prepare it in.