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Green Tea Powder

Schielke

By Schielke
in Japan: Cooking & Baking

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Schielke

Schielke

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I have been interested in buying some Matcha (Green tea powder) to try out in tea and to use for making green tea ice cream. Does anybody have a good source for this stuff or any tips on using it?

Have you tasted tea made with it? I believe there is a traditional whisk like implement used to make the tea; sort of like an old school shaving cream brush.

Ben

Gimme what cha got for a pork chop!

-Freakmaster

I have two words for America... Meat Crust.

-Mario

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torakris

torakris

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If you are going to actually drink it you will need all of this stuff:

http://www.maccha.co.jp/english/garelly/ki...kiso/index.html

As for using it in sweets such as ice cream, I am not sure about using it, I never have.

In Japan there have special matcha powders (different from the tea) that are used for making cakes, ice creams, etc.

I have done the traditional ceremony a couple times and find the tea extremely bitter.

There are various matcha drinks, matcha "iced tea", matcha au lait. etc that are powdered mixes you just mix with water. I prefer these as they have the matcha taste with out the bitterness.

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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torakris

torakris

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A quick search on Yahoo Japan and I have learned that you can work with the real stuff as well as the matcha powder.

Here are quite a few things made with real matcha:

http://www.miyazaki-nw.or.jp/teatime/resipi.html

On the packages of matcha that I have received the expiration date is usually like 3 to 4 months later. The Japanese always keep it in the little tea container shown at the bottom of my first link.

It you like bitter foods you might enjoy drinking it straight, bitter foods I have a big problem with, but I have one American friend who was on some type of diet and she drank it once or twice a day and loved it.

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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nightscotsman

nightscotsman

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I had matcha several times when I visited Japan, both as part of the tea cerimony and in tea houses. I really enjoyed it. It is bitter, but rich tasting - almost halfway between tea and coffee - and it's always served with a small sweet that cuts the bitterness.

You don't really need all the equipment if you're not doing the ceremony. All you really need is something to boil water in, a smallish bowl and the bamboo whisk, though the traditional implements are beautiful and add to the experience.

Schielke - you can get tiny canisters of matcha at Uwajimaya, but it's quite expensive. I have some you're welcome to try to see if you like it.

Here is more info on matcha: http://www.teatoys.com/kmatcha.html

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Schielke

Schielke

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Thanks for the great info everybody!

NSM, I might just take you up on that offer. I do know that the blue willow tea house here in Seattle sells the implements for making it, but I don't think they serve the tea. It would be worth checking out again.

Nightscotsman, do you recall about how much the matcha is at Uwajimaya?

Ben

Gimme what cha got for a pork chop!

-Freakmaster

I have two words for America... Meat Crust.

-Mario

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Jinmyo

Jinmyo

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There is little point to drinking macha outside of chanoyu. It is bitter and soapy.

However, small quantities can be useful in sauces and soups.

"I've caught you Richardson, stuffing spit-backs in your vile maw. 'Let tomorrow's omelets go empty,' is that your fucking attitude?" -E. B. Farnum

"Behold, I teach you the ubermunch. The ubermunch is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: the ubermunch shall be the meaning of the earth!" -Fritzy N.

"It's okay to like celery more than yogurt, but it's not okay to think that batter is yogurt."

Serving fine and fresh gratuitous comments since Oct 5 2001, 09:53 PM

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cabrales

cabrales

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Jewel Bako in NY (see my posts in thread under that forum) uses green tea powder in some of its appetizers. I like the bitterness and mattness of the ingredient, although the balance in dishes that include it has to be carefully considered. :hmmm:

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torakris

torakris

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Check out the following site:

http://www.o-cha.com/powdered_green_tea.htm

They sell various green teas including the expensive "tea ceremony" teas, but for about a 1/3 of that price they have powdered sencha, which is another type of green tea (doesn't whip up frothy) and is more commonly used for "cooking".

If you are purchasing green tea to use soley in ice cream making I would reccomend the sencha.

This site looks like a good source.

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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Rhea_S

Rhea_S

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I've used it for a Green Tea Mousse Roll. Matcha was in both the genoise and the mousse. I think the recipe was in The Cake Bible. It was a simple-looking cake and came together in about an hour, but it was one of the best tasting cakes I've ever made. The green tea cut the sweetness and the cake was wonderfully light.

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Crystal

Crystal

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I've used it for a Green Tea Mousse Roll. Matcha was in both the genoise and the mousse. I think the recipe was in The Cake Bible. It was a simple-looking cake and came together in about an hour, but it was one of the best tasting cakes I've ever made. The green tea cut the sweetness and the cake was wonderfully light.

Did you purchase the Matcha locally, online, mailorder?

We like the mooooon........Coz it is close to us...........

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cherrypi

cherrypi

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If you are purchasing green tea to use soley in ice cream making I would reccomend the sencha.

I agree! Sencha imparts a mellower flavour to desserts. I've made the green tea creme brulee from Vongerichten/Bittman's Simple to Spectacular with good results using sencha powder. (It's a good recipe, but I recommend straining out the lime zest and green tea powder.)

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smallworld

smallworld

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My husband and I love matcha and enjoy drinking it at home. We call it 'Japanese capuccino', since the bitterness and frothiness are similar. We always eat sweets at the same time, and the cloying sweetness of Japanese sweets balances well with the bitterness of the tea.

It seems really fancy and special when we drink it, but it's easier to prepare than other fancy drinks like hot chocolate or capuccino.

The powder can be mixed with salt and eaten with tempura or other deep fried foods- just serve it in a little dish and dip before eating.

I also make a very simple Japanese desert with sweet potato, it's really good sprinkled with a bit of matcha mixed with icing sugar. I've tried using this matcha/icing sugar mix with other sweets, like pancakes, and it's good!

My eGullet foodblog: Spring in Tokyo

My regular blog: Blue Lotus

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torakris

torakris

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I have been wanting to experiment with matcha and tiramisu, basically just sprinkling the top with matcha rather than cocoa or chocolate. I think it would clash with the espresso though, but soaking the lady fingers with matcha "tea" seems like it would be too much. Ideas?

I am too cheap to really experiment, a recipe of tiramisu can cost about $15 (in Japan).

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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kitwilliams

kitwilliams

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Mariage Freres sells matcha. I paid $15.00 for about two ounces, needing it to make the green tea poundcake from Nick Malgieri. Used about $8.00 of the powder for the cake which I ended up throwing out -- it just didn't do anything for me.

I'd rather have matcha moshi!

kit

"I'm bringing pastry back"

Weebl

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nightscotsman

nightscotsman

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I have been wanting to experiment with matcha and tiramisu, basically just sprinkling the top with matcha rather than cocoa or chocolate. I think it would clash with the espresso though, but soaking the lady fingers with matcha "tea" seems like it would be too much.  Ideas?

I am too cheap to really experiment, a recipe of tiramisu can cost  about $15 (in Japan).

There's a tea shop here in Seattle that offers a tiramisu made with matcha instead of espresso. I haven't tried it, but it sounded good to me.

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gus_tatory

gus_tatory

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hey e-gulleters~!

i was wondering if anyone has a green tea *mousse* recipe (not ice cream) they'd like to share, or speculate on one? i am going to "test-kitchen" one for my boss this weekend.

i *know* it will have matcha (green tea powder), 35% cream, castor sugar, egg whites & gelatin (duh!), but i've thought about pureeing firm plain tofu and/or cream cheese for richness and "mouth-feel". i've also thought about adding white chocloate, for obvious reasons.

:-)

also, does anyone notice any difference when using sheets of baker's gelatin, as opposed to commercially available granulated gelatin?

thanks in advance for your help! i will report back with final recipe if people are interested.

gus

"The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the ocean."

--Isak Dinesen

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