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Matcha tonic

Bitter tonic, umami matcha and lime — the most refreshing combination you can make in three minutes without a shaker.

Matcha tonic

Preparation

5 min

Total

5 min

Servings

1

Level

Easy

It sounds like a random combination, but it works as if it were designed that way: the quinine in tonic and the umami in matcha are two different kinds of bitterness which, rather than adding up, balance each other out. What’s more, the bubbles carry the aroma better than still water, and the whole thing tastes like a cocktail, even though there isn’t a drop of alcohol in it. It’s also the perfect drink for a sweltering afternoon, when a latte feels too heavy and plain matcha water feels too serious.

Ingredients

  • 2 g matcha (culinary makes a bolder drink, ceremonial a milder one)

  • 30 ml water at a temperature of 80°C

  • 150 ml well-chilled tonic water

  • to fill the glass ice cubes

  • a quarter lime

Preparation

  1. 1

    Sift the matcha and whisk it with 30 ml of water into a smooth, thick paste — using a chasen or a small whisk. Without this step, the powder will form a separate, lumpy layer on top of the tonic.

  2. 2

    Fill a tall glass to the brim with ice and pour in the tonic water. All that ice isn’t just for decoration: the colder it is, the slower the bubbles disappear.

  3. 3

    Pour the matcha base slowly down the side or along the back of a spoon — it will settle on top of the tonic as a green layer. The gradient effect lasts until the first stir, so serve it with a teaspoon and let the person drinking it spoil it.

  4. 4

    Squeeze a quarter of a lime and drop it into the glass. The tartness balances the bitterness of the tonic with umami — without the lime, the drink is interesting; with it, it’s a complete success.

  5. 5

    Give it a stir just before drinking. The sediment at the bottom is simply a natural result of the suspension; it’s not a fault — just give it a stir and it’ll mix back in.

Products used