Matcha is a powdered green tea. It can be used as an ingredient or made as a tea. With matcha, whole tealeaves are consumed, not just the liquid from the steeped tealeaves, as with other teas. Although Matcha originated by the Tang Dynasty in China (617-907), it was the Zen Buddhists who described the etiquette for tea ceremonies, found in the Rules of Purity for the Chan Monastery, 1103. Although Matcha was created in China, it flourished in Japan, where it is consumed as a daily cultural ritual.
Like all green teas, matcha is credited with providing numerous health benefits. The beauty of matcha is that you can receive the benefit of the whole, high-quality green tea leaf. Comparatively, matcha green tea has a much higher concentration of antioxidants than orange juice or blueberries, two fruit sources well known for their abundance of antioxidant properties.
Matcha has antiviral and antibiotic properties, said to help with digestion by killing harmful bacteria, and even preventing colds and flu. Matcha health benefits include increasing mental alertness with an abundance of vitamin C, plus huge amounts of beta-carotene. Matcha green tea is also known for its ability to provide a meditative, focusing, calming effect on those who consume this remarkable beverage. Studies show that EGCG, the powerful antioxidant in green tea, suppresses the appetite, and aids in the process of turning carbohydrates into energy instead of fat. Matcha is known for its weight loss and fat-burning qualities.
Matcha is a versatile ingredient, popular in beverages such as a green tea latte or green tea smoothie as well as confections, green tea ice cream, and can also be used as a culinary ingredient. It will become a staple.
Below is an easy recipe to open your eyes on how to use it as a culinary ingredient.
Chicken Poached in Matcha, the perfectly easy way to prepare moist, low fat chicken…
Ingredients:
* 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
* 1 1/2 – 2 cups low sodium chicken broth, or water
* 1 TBS Matcha
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 tsp red chile flakes
* 1 bay leaf
Preparation:
In a medium pot, bring chicken broth (or water) to a simmer. Add Matcha to the broth and whisk gently until it dissolves. Add salt, chile flakes, and bay leave. Place chicken breasts in the Matcha broth. Partly cover and gently simmer for 8-10 minutes. Turn off heat completely, and allow chicken to remain in hot water for 15-20 minutes.
Remove chicken and shred with a fork. Reserve the broth. To store, cover shredded chicken with reserved broth to keep the chicken moist and soft.
Serve over a salad for a healthy and light tea-licious meal.
The Tea Spot’s Matcha Green Tea is unique in that it’s made from Shizuoka green tea. Shizuoka is a major tea producing region of Japan, known for its incredible sencha teas. Our Matcha tea is also uniquely processed using the SHIMA process (Super Heating In Moisture Atmosphere), a special steaming treatment that uses much higher temperatures than the traditional steaming method, before it is ground into a fine green tea powder.
