Preparing Matcha from Stone-Ground Tencha Leaves — Japanese Tea Ceremony Grade

Matcha begins with tencha, a special grade of tea made from Camellia sinensis leaves that have been shade-grown for 20-30 days before harvest. Shading forces the plants to produce more chlorophyll (creating the vivid green colour) and more L-theanine amino acid (creating the sweet umami flavour) while reducing catechins (reducing bitterness). After harvest, the leaves are steamed briefly to halt oxidation, dried flat (not rolled like other Japanese teas), then de-stemmed and de-veined. The resulting flat leaf fragments are called tencha. Only tencha can become true matcha — grinding other tea leaves produces a bitter, dull-coloured powder that is not matcha regardless of marketing claims.

Place tencha leaves into the hopper of a granite stone hand mill (ishi-usu) and turn the upper stone slowly — approximately one revolution per second. The granite surfaces grind the brittle leaf fragments into an extremely fine powder (particle size 5-20 micrometres). A hand mill produces only about 30-40g of matcha per hour because slow grinding prevents heat buildup that would damage the chlorophyll and amino acids, turning the powder brown and bitter. If using a suribachi (ceramic mortar) instead, grind small amounts at a time with a gentle circular motion, then sieve through a fine mesh. The finished matcha powder should be vivid bright green, silky to the touch, and have a fresh vegetal aroma with no trace of bitterness or grassiness.

Warm the chawan (tea bowl) by filling it with hot water and letting it sit for one minute, then emptying and wiping dry. Soak the chasen (bamboo whisk) in the hot water — this softens the bamboo tines and prevents them from breaking during whisking. Inspect the tines and gently separate any that are stuck together. Sieve 1.5-2g of matcha (approximately 2 chashaku scoops) through a fine mesh strainer directly into the warmed bowl. Sieving breaks up any clumps that would resist dissolving and produces a smoother, more uniform drink. Clumped matcha floats on the water surface and does not incorporate properly.

Pour 60-80ml of hot water (70-80 degrees C — not boiling, which scalds the delicate amino acids and destroys the sweet flavour) onto the sieved matcha. Boiling water produces a bitter, flat-tasting result. Hold the chasen vertically with a relaxed grip and whisk the matcha vigorously using a rapid back-and-forth W or M motion (not circular). The tines must reach the bottom of the bowl to incorporate all the settled powder. Whisk for 15-20 seconds until a uniform layer of fine, dense foam covers the surface with no large bubbles. The foam should be thick enough to support the weight of a small amount of matcha powder sprinkled on top. This preparation style is called usucha (thin tea), the standard serving in modern tea ceremony.

Lift the chasen slowly from the centre of the bowl to leave the foam surface undisturbed. Wipe the chasen clean with a damp cloth. The matcha should be consumed within 2-3 minutes of preparation, as the fine powder begins to settle and the foam dissipates. In the tea ceremony tradition, the bowl is placed before the guest with its most attractive face (the front) toward them. The guest rotates the bowl slightly to avoid drinking from the front, takes three sips to finish, and returns it. Well-prepared matcha has a rich umami sweetness from L-theanine, a slight astringency from catechins, a creamy body from the suspended powder, and a lingering sweet aftertaste. The vivid green colour indicates high chlorophyll content from proper shading.