To whip up a frothy and refreshing bowl of matcha the Chasen whisk is an essential tool:
- First add hot water to your Chawan tea bowl and place the Chasen whisk side down in the water for a few minutes to soften the bamboo and prevent the tines from snapping.
- Discard the water and dry the bowl before adding the matcha powder so that it doesn't clump together.
- Take a Chashaku spoon and add two heaped scoops, or two grams, of sifted matcha powder per person into the bowl.
- For regular, frothy Usucha tea add 80 to 100ml of hot water per serving at a temperature of 80°C.
- With the Chasen in one hand and the tea bowl in the other, start whisking the matcha from the base of the bowl at about a 90° angle in a fast zig-zag motion from the wrist without pressing into the base or sides of the bowl.
- Gradually work the whisk up towards the surface of the tea as it gets frothier and evenly mixed. The faster the whisking is performed, the more foam is created, but don't whisk so hard that the matcha starts to spill – practise makes perfect!
For thick, ceremonial Koicha tea use half the amount of water and move the whisk in a slow circular motion, without forming any bubbles, to create a paste-like consistency.
