Matcha tea with milk - good or bad?

Matcha green tea is gaining increasing popularity nowadays, but as a special beverage, it is somewhat unusual and differs in preparation from regular teas. It is believed to have come to us from Japan, where it indeed plays a huge role in the culture.

However, the birthplace of this bright green drink is China; historical records show that ancient monks consumed it even before our era. Later, one Japanese monk brought it to his homeland, and over time matcha became a traditional Japanese tea.

How to Properly Prepare Matcha Tea

Visually, matcha tea differs from traditional teas and is sold in powdered form rather than leaves. Its brewed color is a bright green shade, and it is not poured with boiling water, since that would reduce its beneficial properties.

Matcha is brewed in a teapot after the boiling water cools down for about 3–4 minutes — if the lid is left open, the temperature will be around 70–80°C. Water should be poured gradually and whisked constantly with a bamboo whisk. Matcha usually comes in a set with a whisk and a bamboo spoon.

The most popular matcha tea is with coconut milk, often enjoyed as a morning drink. However, in traditional Japanese culture, there are various ways to consume and brew matcha — without milk, strong or weak, for different occasions.

You can prepare matcha with milk at home using the following proportions:

• One bamboo spoon of powder (2–3 grams). If you don’t have a special spoon, a regular spoon without the top part will do;
• 150–200 ml of milk;
• 70–80 ml of water.

To get a tasty drink, you need to follow a certain preparation order that the Japanese have perfected to the smallest detail. The matcha set usually includes a bamboo cup, where this drink is traditionally prepared, besides the whisk.

Detailed recipe and step-by-step process for making matcha with milk:

• Start by soaking the whisk in cold water for at least half an hour. To speed up the process, you can leave it in hot water for about five minutes;
• Then warm the cup with hot water, and only after that add the powder. If the powder is uneven, sift the matcha;
• Slowly pour cooled boiling water into the powder, whisking constantly until fully dissolved;
• Heat the milk to about 80°C and slowly pour it in, whisking continuously.

Matcha is especially beneficial with plant-based milk; besides coconut milk, you can use soy or nut milk. This is due to the tea’s properties — it contains a high percentage of the antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate, which can bind casein.

You can add honey or sugar to matcha, although Japanese tradition is to prepare it without sweeteners. Like all teas, freshly brewed matcha is the most beneficial as it preserves all amino acids and nutrients.