Delicooks

Matcha is quite unlike tea you may be used to. It’s more fragrant, is very versatile and has many nutritional properties. Little known until recently, the rise of Asian cuisine and its use in avant-garde cuisine, have more recently made it popular in the West.

Matcha tea is a type of Japanese green tea, though it is unlike other green teas. The raw material, called tencha, is grown differently from other types of tea, leading to the presence of the amino acid "theanine" that gives this tea its characteristic sweet taste. After harvesting, it is steamed, cooled and the woody parts are removed. Once the leaves are clean and dry, they are ground in stone mills. This process yields the characteristic fine, deep green powder, with hints of green tea and seaweed vegetables.

This production process (which means you can consume much of the leaf), makes Matcha tea an important source of vital nutrients. It is estimated that a cup of Matcha tea is, in nutritional terms,equivalent to 10 cups of other types of tea, which lose a large proportion of their nutritional properties in the brewing process.

Chief among the properties of Matcha tea are catechins- present  in green tea but much more so in Matcha-tea - and flavonoids with antioxidant, anti-arthritic, and anti-inflammatory properties. These also protect the liver and control the production of cholesterol. Matcha is also a good source of vitamins.

The most common way of preparing Matcha is in a hot water infusion, in which the powder is dissolved. But Matcha tea is versatile. It can be used in all types of liquid and solid preparations. Its powdery texture and color allow it to be dissolved in hot and cold liquids, giving a frothy, foamy effect. It is also great in desserts, mixed with chocolate, dairy products, eggs and in breads and pastries.

Like any natural product, Matcha can go off and oxidizes rapidly leading to loss of nutrients, aroma and its pretty green color. Keep fresh by storing in a cool, dry and dark place. Ideally, it should be wrapped in foil or kept in an airtight container and stored in the freezer or, alternatively, in the refrigerator. Before use, remove  from the cold and allow to reach room temperature before opening the container, thus preventing it from becoming moist.

As for organoleptic and nutritional properties, Matcha tea is healthy for the whole family and is an ideal ingredient to give your meals an exotic twist. Once you try it you’ll be hooked for life.

Matcha tea truffle

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Matcha Latte