Koicha (Thick Matcha) Recipe

Before you start

Koicha, or thick tea, uses roughly twice the matcha of usucha and about half the water. The result is closer to warm, liquid velvet than to a frothy drink, and in a formal gathering one bowl is often shared among guests. Because so much powder meets so little water, any harshness in the tea is magnified, which is why koicha is made only with the highest grades, usually from shade-grown leaves of older plants.

The technique is different too. Instead of whipping, you knead the tea slowly with the whisk, folding the powder into a little water first and then loosening it with a second small pour. There should be no foam, only a smooth, glossy surface. This recipe is a home approach; tea schools have their own exact amounts and movements.

Ingredients

• 4 g (about 2 tsp, or 3 to 4 heaped chashaku scoops) koicha-grade matcha — labeled for koicha or the top ceremonial grade
• 40 ml (about 1⅓ oz) soft water — heated to about 80°C (175°F), used in two additions
• extra hot water for warming the bowl and whisk

Method

1. Warm the bowl and soak the whisk tines in hot water for about 1 minute, then pour the water out and dry the bowl.
2. Sift the 4 g of matcha into the bowl. At this concentration even tiny lumps show up as dry pockets in the paste.
3. Pour about 25 ml of the 80°C (175°F) water over the powder.
4. Hold the whisk upright and knead the tea with slow, deliberate strokes: press the tines into the paste and move them in small circles and figure eights along the bottom, about one stroke per second. Do not whip. Continue for 20 to 30 seconds until no dry powder remains and the paste is thick and shiny.
5. Add the remaining 15 ml of water and keep kneading slowly for another 15 to 20 seconds. The tea should loosen into a texture like warm honey or thick paint that flows slowly when the bowl is tilted.
6. Check the surface. It should be glossy and nearly free of bubbles; if foam appears, you are moving too fast.
7. Serve right away and drink in small sips. If several people are sharing, wipe the rim with a cloth before passing the bowl.

Tips for success

• Taste a pinch of the dry matcha before committing it to koicha. If it is noticeably bitter on its own, keep it for usucha or lattes.
• Adjust the second pour to your matcha. Some powders absorb more water; add it a few milliliters at a time until the flow looks right.
• Clean the whisk in warm water straight after use. Thick tea dries in the tines quickly and is harder to rinse out.

Substitutions

Koicha-grade matcha

A standard ceremonial matcha can be prepared this way, but expect more bitterness. Reduce to 3 g of powder with the same water for a softer, in-between bowl.

Thick-tined koicha whisk

A regular 80- or 100-tine whisk works, though its fine tines bend under the thick paste. Move slowly to avoid snapping them.

Soft water

Bottled water labeled low in minerals helps if your tap water is hard; hard water mutes the sweetness koicha is known for.

Troubleshooting

Dry lumps remain in the paste

Sift more carefully and knead longer with the first small amount of water before adding the rest. Adding all the water at once leaves pockets of powder.

The surface turned frothy

Your strokes were too fast. Slow down, keep the tines in contact with the bottom and use pressing, circular movements.

It is too thick to drink

Add 5 ml more warm water and knead it in. Different matcha powders need slightly different amounts of water.

Storage

Koicha is made fresh and drunk at once; it thickens and loses gloss as it cools. Buy koicha-grade matcha in small tins, keep opened tins sealed in the refrigerator and use them quickly, because the delicate aroma fades within weeks.

Safety notes

Koicha uses a large dose of powdered tea in a small cup, so its caffeine content is higher than an ordinary bowl of usucha. The FDA cites 400 mg a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most healthy adults; sensitivity varies widely.