How to prepare matcha: three steps, two minutes

There's a way of talking about matcha that makes you want to give up before
you've even started. You encounter precise temperatures, bowls with four-syllable
names, and the persistent idea that poorly prepared tea would be a sign of
disrespect.

Here's the truth: preparing matcha takes three steps and two minutes. Sift,
pour, whisk. The rest — the vocabulary, the ceremony, the posture — is optional.
What follows is the method, stripped of the decorum.

What you need

The bare minimum consists of three items: a slightly wide bowl, something to
whisk with, and hot water.

For comfort, you'll need five:

• A bowl (chawan). Wide rather than deep: the whisk needs space to work. A cereal bowl works perfectly well to start.
• A bamboo whisk (chasen). This is the only item truly difficult to replace — we detail what it's really used for in a dedicated article.
• A measuring spoon (chashaku). Convenient, but not essential: half a teaspoon gives the same result.
• A sieve. The step everyone skips, and the one that makes the difference between smooth matcha and lumpy matcha.
• A scale or dispenser, until you get the hang of it by eye.

If you want everything at once, our Matcha Kit brings
together these five items. Otherwise, start with what you have in your cupboards:
it works too.

Water temperature

80 °C (176 °F). This is the only number to remember, and there's nothing
esoteric about it.

Above 85 °C (185 °F), the water extracts bitter compounds from the leaf too
quickly: the matcha becomes astringent and coats the palate. Below 70 °C (158
°F), the powder doesn't disperse well and the foam doesn't form.

Don't have a temperature-controlled kettle? Boil the water, then wait two
minutes. Or pour the boiling water into a second container: transferring it
causes it to lose about ten degrees with each pass. It's approximate, but
sufficient.

Proportions

For a classic bowl, 2 grams of matcha to 60-70 ml of water. That's a well-filled
teaspoon, or two chashaku scoops.

Less water makes a koicha — thick, almost syrupy, reserved for ceremonial grade
matcha. More water makes an usucha, lighter, the kind you drink every day.
Start with usucha: it's more forgiving.

For a matcha latte, use around 3 grams, because milk dilutes it and a standard
dosage would disappear completely.

The method

One. Sift the powder directly into the bowl. Matcha is a tea ground with a
stone mill: it naturally clumps together, and these clumps won't break down with
whisking. Thirty seconds of sifting will save you a minute of struggle and a
grainy result.

Two. Pour in a small amount of water, just enough to cover the powder. Mix to
form a smooth, lump-free paste. Then add the rest.

Three. Whisk in a W shape, with a flexible wrist, without pressing on the
bottom of the bowl. About fifteen seconds. You're looking for a fine, uniform
foam, not large bubbles. Finish with a slow circular motion on the surface to
smooth it out.

Drink immediately. Matcha settles in two or three minutes, and it's never as good
as the first sip.

The illustrated steps are on our The Ritual page.

The three mistakes that spoil matcha

Water that's too hot. This is by far the primary cause of bitterness.
Before concluding that matcha isn't for you, make another bowl at 80 °C (176 °F).

Skipping the sieve. Lumpy matcha is almost never a quality issue: it's a
sifting issue.

The wrong grade. Culinary matcha — designed for baking — remains bitter no
matter what you do, because it's produced from later and coarser leaves. For a
plain bowl, you need a ceremonial grade, like our Ceremonial Matcha. We
detail the difference in another article in The Notebook.

What about without a chasen?

Legitimate question, honest answer: you can, but it won't be as good.

A chasen has between 80 and 120 split tines. This density creates an emulsion
that neither a fork nor a kitchen whisk can replicate — their tines are too
thick and too few.

The two fallback solutions that actually work:

• An electric milk frother. The result is decent, the foam a bit coarser. This is the closest alternative.
• A shaker. Matcha, water, a sealed jar, twenty seconds of shaking. No proper foam, but no lumps and an intact taste. Perfect for the office.

What doesn't work: a spoon, a gravy whisk, and good intentions.

Matcha latte, in a nutshell

Same method, two adjustments. You increase to 3 grams of powder, first prepare
the base with 40 ml of 80 °C (176 °F) water, then add 150 to 200 ml of hot milk.

Never pour the powder directly into milk: proteins prevent dispersion, and you'll
end up with intractable lumps.

Our Matcha Latte is specifically ground to stand up
to milk without becoming bitter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really need to sift every time?
Yes, if you want a smooth bowl. It takes thirty seconds, and it's the most
effort-efficient step in the entire preparation.

Can matcha be prepared with cold water?
Yes — this is mizudashi. Use 2g for 200ml of cold water, shake vigorously in
a sealed container. The taste is milder, less vegetal, and bitterness is almost
absent. Very pleasant in summer.

How long does opened matcha last?
Four to six weeks under good conditions: in an airtight container, away from
light and heat, resealed after each use. It doesn't become unfit for consumption
beyond that, but it loses its color and aroma.

My matcha is brownish, is that normal?
No. Good quality matcha is vibrant green, almost fluorescent. A dull or yellowish
hue indicates oxidized, poorly stored tea, or tea from a late harvest.

Should the chasen be washed with soap?
Never. Rinse with clear water immediately after use, then dry on its stand,
tines pointing upwards. Soap permeates the bamboo and will end up in the next
bowl.

Nekoki imports and packages organic Japanese matcha, certified FR-BIO-01. Our
analyses and certificates are available on the Transparency &
Certificates page.