What Is Matcha Tea? How It's Made and How to Prepare It
Matcha is a fine green powder made from stone-ground tea leaves. Unlike green, black, or oolong tea, where leaves are steeped and then discarded, matcha is whisked into water and consumed whole — which is why it has a thicker texture, a deeper color, and a stronger flavor than steeped green tea.
Where matcha came from
Matcha first appeared during the Tang Dynasty in China, between the 7th and 10th centuries, though not in its current form. Tea leaves were roasted, pounded into a rough powder, and compressed into bricks for transport. The fine powder we now call matcha developed later in Japan.
How matcha is made
Matcha comes from Camellia sinensis, the same plant that produces green, black, and oolong tea. The plant's leaves become green tea when steamed and dried without oxidation, black tea when fully oxidized, and oolong when partially oxidized.
For matcha, shade-grown green tea leaves are processed and stone-ground into a delicate powder. The powder is sifted before use, then whisked with water rather than steeped.
Usucha and koicha
There are two traditional preparations.
Usucha ("thin tea") is the common preparation, and what cafes and restaurants generally serve. It uses roughly one gram of matcha.
Koicha ("thick tea") uses about four grams — four times as much — with roughly half the water. The result is considerably thicker and more intense. For koicha the powder is gently kneaded with the bamboo whisk rather than whisked rapidly.
How to make matcha at home
Hot matcha: sift 1/2 teaspoon of matcha into a bowl. Pour in about 3 fl oz of water at 175°F — water boils at 212°F, so let it stand a few minutes after boiling. Whisk rapidly in a zig-zag motion with a bamboo chasen until the surface is covered in fine froth.
Cold matcha: add a rounded teaspoon to 12 to 14 fl oz of iced water in a sealed bottle and shake for about 15 seconds.
Cooking with matcha
Matcha's grassy, faintly sweet flavor works in cocktails, coffee lattes, dusted over savory dishes, and in sweets — macarons, mochi, cakes, and doughnuts.
Common questions
What is matcha tea?
Stone-ground green tea leaves whisked into water and consumed whole, rather than steeped and strained.
What is the difference between usucha and koicha?
Usucha uses about one gram of matcha and is the standard preparation. Koicha uses about four grams with half the water, producing a much thicker tea.
Why does matcha need a bamboo whisk?
Matcha does not dissolve. The whisk suspends the powder evenly and produces the froth; a spoon leaves clumps.
Can matcha be made cold?
Yes, by shaking it in a sealed bottle with iced water rather than whisking.
Is matcha the same as instant green tea?
No. Instant green tea is brewed tea with the water removed — it dissolves completely with a stir and leaves no sediment. Matcha is ground leaf that stays suspended and settles if left standing.
Read more on green tea powder vs. matcha, or shop Waka instant tea.
