Popular Matcha Recipes

From being spotted in the hands of runway models at fashion shows, featured across menus of health cafes and being used to add flavour to cakes, brownies and savory dishes, Matcha seems to be the current toast of culinary world. So what exactly is matcha and is it really beneficial? Simply put, matcha is a green tea powder acquired by fine grinding specially processed tea leaves. Matcha is the star ingredient during elaborate tea ceremonies in Japan though research shows that the practice of consuming finely milled tea leaves whisked in hot water originated in China around the 10th century.


The best way to enjoy the health benefits of matcha is to consume in form of a "tea". Start by sifting the required amount of Matcha powder in to a bowl, add hot water and whisk with a bamboo whisk to break any clumps that are formed. Studies show, Matcha is a rich source of poly phenol compounds called catechins, a type of antioxidant that help fight many diseases.



The sweet grassy taste of matcha is loved by many though adding it to other ingredients may dilute the health benefits to a certain extent. There are many recipes of matcha, just like this rum based matcha cocktail- TaMatcha we recently had. Here are a few matcha recipes that will be a good way to start loving the matcha flavour:

Matcha Latte:
Why not start the day with a hot cup of matcha latte? It's super easy to make and gives you a change from your regular cup of coffee. In a cup, whisk 1 tsp matcha powder and sugar to taste with enough hot water to form a thick paste.Take care to whisk till all lumps are dissolved. Add hot milk and mix well. Serve with a sprinkle of matcha powder on top. You can also replace hot milk with cold milk and serve the latte in a tall glass, garnished with ice cubes.




Minty Matcha Lemonade
Enjoy your regular lemonade with an interesting twist with matcha. The Vitamin C present in lemons  and the antioxidants present in matcha make for an interesting combination. Blend together juice of two lemons, one cup chopped cucumber, 1 1/2 tsp matcha powder, honey to taste and two glasses of cold water till smooth. Crush a few mint leaves an add to the lemonade. Pour in tall glasses and serve garnished with crushed ice.



Matcha Pancakes:
How about having some matcha pancakes to go with the matcha latte for breakfast? You can even indulge in these light fluffy pancakes at brunch. To make matcha pancakes, take one cup all purpose flour in a mixing bowl, add one teaspoon of baking powder, pinch of baking soda and some sugar and salt to taste. Mix well to break lumps. In another bowl, light beat one egg and add one cup buttermilk. Whisk gently. Add 2 tsp melted butter to this mix and whisk again. Add the egg-buttermilk mix to the flour mix and with a spatula mix gently. The mixture should be of pouring consistency. Add 1 tsp matcha powder and mix well. The batter will be now light green in color. Pour one ladle of the matcha batter on a nonstick pan to make round pancakes. Cook on both sides and serve hot with honey, butter or maple syrup.

Matcha (Green Tea) Cheesecake:
Miyuki, Double Tree by Hilton Pune's signature Japanese restaurant is known for its smooth, creamy dessert- Green Tea (Matcha) Cheesecake. We coaxed them to share this delicious recipe with us, so make it, bake it and enjoy it.



Matcha Ice cream:
If you love ice creams that contain no dairy, you will love this matcha coconut ice cream. Sweetened with honey and dates, this ice cream will taste smooth, creamy and not overtly sweet. Blend together one can of full fat coconut milk, one cup soy milk, 1/2 cup pitted dates, honey to taste and 2 tsp matcha powder till smooth. Adjust as per choice- adding more honey to sweeten or matcha powder and blend again. Pour into a ice cream container and freeze. Churn couple of times in a mixer to break ice, if any. Scoop and serve garnished with fresh strawberries, chocolate chips or on its own. I personally love breaking up matcha KitKat bits for garnish :D

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