Matcha is tea, whose homeland is China. He appeared during the imperial Tang Dynasty, with her the country blossomed unusually. The most loyal fans of this product there were Zen Buddhists, who erected the preparation of the drink in a separate ritual. Later, matcha green tea, along with Zen Buddhism, migrated to Japan. Experts note that it is more correct to call it not in English, but in Japanese transcription - "matcha", which in translation means "ground tea". Now it is called Japanese and is drunk during a traditional tea ceremony.
Fragrant Green Powder
A striking feature that matcha (tea) possesses is that it has an unusual powdery consistency. So, cooking it is also different from the classic way that we are used to. How to make matcha tea ? Strictly speaking, it is not brewed, but mixed with water or whipped.
The mystery of the "jade drink"
First, the powder is sieved through a strainer, rubbing the resulting lumps with a wooden spoon or smooth pebble. Then it is poured into a cup and poured with water, heated to 80 ° C. And here the most unusual part of making tea begins: the mixture is thoroughly mixed or whipped until a homogeneous green mass is obtained. When whipping, a characteristic foam is formed. Connoisseurs recommend not using an ordinary, but a special whisk, which is made of bamboo and is called chasen. The finished drink pleases the eye with a bright green tint, which is why it is called “jade”.
What happens match
Tea can be prepared in two versions: strong (quoyta) and light (bum). For a strong take 4 grams of powder (this is a teaspoon) and mix with 50 ml of water (this is a quarter glass). Beat the mixture is not recommended, it must be slowly stirred. The drink is tart and aromatic. The taste is bittersweet. If you take half the powder - 2 grams, and a third more water (75 ml), and then intensively beat the mass, you get a light (weak) match. Tea will be lighter in this case, and bitter to taste.
Tea ceremony
It is carried out strictly according to the rules. First - cooking with special accessories, and then - the ritual of tea drinking. If you intend to drink a cup of match in Japanese, tea whose aroma is incomparable, you must first not sip it, but “inhale”, then, after enjoying its fragrance, drink it from the cup, which should be held in both hands. In minutes of tea drinking, you need to abandon the hustle and bustle of yourself from noise. The drink does not need to be sweetened, but to emphasize its specific bitter taste, you need to try sweets before tea drinking. During the Japanese tea ceremony, only koicha is always served, which is prepared from more expensive matcha varieties.
Tea Leaf Secrets
The match is obtained from leaves whose growth is deliberately slowed down. To do this, a few weeks before harvesting, the bushes are closed from the sun. Then organic compounds are formed in the leaves, giving the drink a tart-sweet taste. The collected raw materials are dried without twisting, and then ground to a state of flour. What kind of tea will be depends on several factors: the timing of the harvest, the method of drying, grinding, the age of the tea bush and the place that the leaf on it occupied. Elite varieties are made from upper soft leaves collected from older plants. When processing them, all the necessary rules are meticulously observed.
Peerless healer
The drink has all the advantages that green tea generally has: the presence of antioxidants that keep the body's cells healthy and young, as well as strengthen the immune system; bactericidal properties; vasodilator and antidiabetic action. However, the special value of this type of tea is due to the fact that, in the opinion of American scientists, it contains a hundred times more catechin - a compound that can fight oncological ailments, HIV infection. The advantage of the match lies in the fact that it is made from the best raw materials and enters the body along with the “tea leaves”, in its entirety.
Tea not only drunk
Desserts are made from beautiful green powder in Japan. It is added to ice cream, cookies, cakes, mousses, fruit and milkshakes. It is also mixed with other types of tea, coffee and alcohol. In the USA, the match is actively involved in creating healthy foods.
You can experiment in your own kitchen. Here, for example, is a smoothie recipe made at a London Fifteen restaurant. Add to the blender: half an apple, a quarter stalk of celery, 2 sprigs of mint, half a pear and a banana, add 2 grams of a match. Everything is well mixed and served with ice.
Tea powder is readily used not only in the food industry, but also in cosmetology, the substances with which it is rich noticeably smooth and brighten the skin. The match can be found in toothpaste, as a means against acne, as part of face masks, as well as in soap and creams.
Japanese tea of the match, of course, is not cheap, and finding a quality sample is not so simple, but it is able to give the gourmet a whole range of unforgettable sensations.