My Matcha!

I have tried matcha a couple of times before.  Yes, I agree when some people say that it tastes very “green” and is an acquired taste.  What I have learnt recently is that it definitely depends on the quality and type of matcha you use, and how you work with it.

So I was quite keen when My Matcha contacted me to ask if I would be interested to try their matcha tea powder.  Oh yes, why not!  We all know of the health benefits of matcha, as they summarise on their website (there are LOTS more of course):

• 70x More antioxidants than orange juice
• 9x More beta carotene than spinach
• 15x Better for you than regular green tea

But this is the part that grabs my attention:

• Makes a delicious cup of tea and is great for smoothies, ice cream and cakes too.
• 100g gives you around 90 servings!
• 100% Organic Matcha Green Tea

Seems to me that matcha may be a little more versatile than I originally thought. Although it is quite an expensive product – in all fairness it usually is – (R359 for 100g incl postage), it is quoted to give you 100 servings!  R3,59 per serving for a high quality matcha sounds like a great deal to me!

So my packet of matcha arrived and I was excited to try it!

Right from the get-go I realised that there was something quite important I usually missed when working with matcha powder – which is mainly, preparing it the traditional Japanese way.  It is highly recommended to first mix the powder with some hot water to break up any clumps and to make it easier to use in drinks and recipes.

One of the reasons is that, mixing your own matcha tea “suspension”, is that it also part of a tea preparing ceremony, that traditionally is believed to relax and calm the matcha tea drinker, and can also be used as a form of meditation to help you focus and to calm your nerves.  Interesting not so?  And it does work!  And no, it isn’t hard work, to prepare your matcha mix takes about the same time than it takes to make a decent cup of coffee.

Have a look at this video on My Matcha’s website to see how it is done:

Another reason is that it takes away the powdery bitterness, and sometimes overpowering ‘green’ seaweed taste that some people find quite unpleasant when it comes to eating and drinking matcha.  I also realised that it is one of the reasons why I have in the past thought matcha is way too expensive – I used too much of it because I was used to using it ‘undiluted’.

So here I go:

Voila! Ready to use!

I started with the ‘easiest’ way to drink matcha tea – by making a latte by basically following this recipe on My Matcha’s blog:  How to turn Milk and Matcha into a Creamy Matcha Latte Quickly

I used a few teaspoons from my ‘pre-mix’ prepared above, warmed some almond milk, added a spoonful of honey and that’s it – quick and easy.

A couple of days later I tried it with ‘normal’ milk – warmed up and frothed up a bit and it was also quite delicious!

So now I think it is time to start experimenting a bit.  And what better way to use match tea powder than in a delicious smoothie!  Just check this out – I was very impressed with the results!

Chocolate Matcha and Avo Smoothie

Mix together in a smoothie maker or blender:

• 1/2 large ripe avocado
• 3 pitted dates
• 1 teaspoon pure cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons prepared matcha mix
• 2 large tablespoons plain yogurt
• 3/4 cup almond milk (you can add more or less, depending on the consistency you prefer your smoothies to be).

This was quite thick -personal preference – and tasted like a beautiful chocolate mousse!  You can add some honey to taste, but the dates actually sweeten it up well enough.

You must try it!

Check out https://mymatcha.co.za/blogs/matcha-recipes for more recipes to try, and to order your 100% organic, pure quality matcha tea powder.  They also sell some cool accessories, like the bamboo whisk set!  An added bonus – I really liked that it came in a resealable pouch!