One of the frequently asked questions is, “Can I cook with green tea powder?” Green tea is actually versatile to use in cooking. Like herbs and spices, once you know what type of foods and how much to use, it is easy to incorporate Green Tea goodness into your everyday meals. Here are 8 techniques you can use to create healthy meals using Matcha or Sencha green tea powder.
Basics
Technique 1: Make a latte with milk of your choice
Latte is the most popular way to use Matcha and Sencha powder other than making straight tea. Always a good idea to make tea first with a small amount of water, and then blend it with milk. Try spices such as cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, chai spice, etc. Or, add a small amount of orange zest for tasty variety.
Try our better than Starbucks Matcha Latte!
Technique 2: Process with other ingredients to make smoothies
1/2 to 1 tsp. is one serving of Matcha. 1/4 tsp. is one serving of Sencha powder. If you are using 16 oz of smoothies, you can add 2 servings of powder safely without overwhelming the flavor. It’s an easy way to make your morning smoothies even healthier by adding natural Catechin antioxidants.
Try our Easy Matcha Smoothie!
Technique 3: Add to baking ingredients or dessert recipes
You can add Matcha or Sencha powder to your recipes for baked goods, such as cookies, pancakes, bread, etc. Matcha or Sencha powder can be added to the recipe of ice cream or “Nice Cream.”
If you would like to have a bright green color effect on the final product, use ceremonial grade Matcha rather than culinary grade Matcha or Sencha powder. Yes, this is not a typo–ceremonial grade Matcha offers a much brighter color and it makes a “visually stunning” product, whatever you are baking.
As for the amount, start with 2 tsp per batch. Matcha and Sencha powder flavor are subtle, so you may not “taste” the green tea flavor and it’s OK. If you keep adding the powder until you really “taste” it, it’s likely too much green tea and the taste will be obnoxious. It’s the right amount when the whole flavor is “deepened,” which is the effect of green tea’s Umami (oo-mah-me), savory flavor.
Try these delicious Matcha Muffins!
Advanced Techniques
The above 3 techniques are the basics. If you would like to expand your culinary experiences with healthy green tea, try the following:
Technique 4: Make a tea solution and use it as soup stock
For example, you can cook all kinds of grains with tea solution. Green tea adds “Umami.”
When I make a miso soup, I substitute “dashi,” a soup stock made with kelp and bonito, with green tea. And add some garlic powder, onion powder, and a little bit of tahini along with miso. Add some tofu and green onions. Now you have a completely vegan tasty “instant” miso soup.
Technique 5: Mix with other herbs to make your own “no-salt seasoning”
Here are two favorites of mine:
1) 1 Tbsp. Garlic, 1 Tbsp. Cumin, and 1/2 tsp. Matcha or Sencha powder–mix them well and ready to use.
This is one of the simple and yummy recipes using this seasoning: Sprinkle the mixture over cauliflower pieces and bake it in a 400F oven for 20 minutes or so until it’s crisp-tender. Mix 1 Tbsp. lemon and 1 tsp. mustard. Drizzle the lemon mixture over the seasoned cauliflower and serve while warm.
2) Just mix the following four ingredients. This makes a tasty “Umami” sprinkle. Try this over torn kale leaves and bake in a 300F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until crisp. Easiest, healthiest, tastiest snack ever. This sprinkle tastes great on popcorn too.
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Matcha or Sencha powder
- 1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
Technique 6: Use a PINCH of powder to deepen the flavor
Do you love Date Paste? Me too! Try a pinch of green tea powder in the paste–it deepens the sweetness. Another one we liked was “Golden Grape Paste.” Here’s my favorite recipe:
Soak 2 Tbsp. dried golden grapes in 1/3 cup warm water overnight. Process the grapes with 2 Tbsp. coconut flakes, 1 tsp. lemon juice, and a pinch of green tea powder until the grapes are crushed. Add the water from the soak, and 2 Tbsp. coconut milk and process until all ingredients are well combined together. You will still have pieces of coconut flakes, which add a nice texture.
Technique 7: Use as a coating or garnish
Always you can use green tea powder for coating energy balls. Or, you can sift the powder using a fine sifter.
If you would like to try a unique coating technique, try this: 1) Mix 1/2 cup gluten-free flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill brand), 4 tsp. green tea powder, 4 tsp. cumin. Put the mixture in a clean plastic bag. 2) Cut one piece of extra firm tofu into 40 pieces by slicing the tofu into 5 “stakes,” and then cutting each “stake” piece into 8. 3) Put the tofu pieces in the bag of the flour-green tea mixture so you can coat the tofu with the flour. 4) Cook the tofu pieces in a 375F air-fryer for 10 minutes. Flip the tofu pieces over and then continue cooking for 5 more minutes. Enjoy them with your favorite dip.
Technique 8: Use as a “buffer” of sourness
Green tea reduces sharp sourness. I make simple pickles of vegetable pieces, such as cucumber, celery, carrot, radish, etc. with vinegar and green tea.
Clean and cut vegetables into bite-size pieces. Put them in a 16 oz mason jar, and add 3-4 peeled and crushed garlic pieces, 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, and 1/4 tsp. Matcha or Sencha powder. Loose-leaf green tea also works beautifully. If you use loose leaf green tea, use 1/2 tsp. In Japan, kelp, sugar, and salt are used for pickled vegetables, but I found green tea does the job, and I omit sugar and salt. As time goes by, the flavor gets milder and more enjoyable. Keep the mason jar with the lid tightly sealed in the fridge for 10 to 20 days before you enjoy them.
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