# Koicha

> To make koicha, sift 4 g of matcha into a bowl, add 40 ml of water at about 75 °C, and knead it slowly in circles for about 40 seconds into a glossy, even paste without foam.

- Style: Koicha (traditional preparation)
- Per 1 bowl: 4 g · 40 ml · 75 °C
- Time: about 3 minutes
- URL: https://trytama.app/recipes/koicha/

## Ingredients

- 4 g matcha
- 40 ml water, at about 75 °C

## Steps

1. **Cool the water.** Boil the water, then let it sit for about two minutes.
2. **Sift 4 g into the bowl.** Through a fine sieve so nothing clumps.
3. **Add 40 ml at 75 °C.** Pour in a thin stream around the powder.
4. **Knead slowly.** Slow circles, press the paste against the bowl until it shines.
5. **Lift the whisk.** Draw it out slowly from the centre and check for a glossy, even paste.

Koicha means “thick tea”. It uses more matcha and less water than usucha, and you work it slowly into a glossy tea rather than whisking in air. The texture is dense and the tea's character comes through strongly, so small differences between tins are easier to notice.

## Make it yours

- **Too thick to move?** Add water a few millilitres at a time and keep kneading.
- **Bitter or rough?** Try slightly cooler water, or save koicha for a smoother tin.

## In Tama

Koicha is one of Tama's three starting points. It uses 4 g a bowl, and Tama takes that from the tin, so the shelf always shows how much is left.

## Questions

### What is the difference between koicha and usucha?

Koicha uses about twice the matcha and half the water of usucha, and it's kneaded slowly instead of whisked, so it's thick and glossy with no foam. Usucha is lighter and foamy.

### Which matcha is best for koicha?

Koicha shows every flaw, so people usually keep it for their best tin. Matcha sold for koicha tends to be smoother and less astringent, but how it tastes to you is what counts.

---
A recipe to start from and adjust to your tin. From Tama, your matcha companion. https://trytama.app