50 shades of green: How Bengaluru is reinventing matcha with Indian twists and unique recipes

From matcha French toast to aam-panna matcha, Bengaluru is reinventing the Japanese green tea with Indian twists and unique recipes. Here are our picks

Matcha or Japanese green tea is everywhere in menus. Way back in 2015, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, poster girl of all things healthy and trendy, posted a picture of a matcha latte on her Instagram. There was no looking back and matcha lattes became a trend globally. Chefs and restaurants in Bengaluru are taking this ingredient and giving it their own spin. Here are some of our favourite matcha creations in Bengaluru:

Artisanal coffee brand Maverick & Farmer have a seasonal matcha menu that is inspired by Indian flavours. Take the matcha aam panna for example. They define it as the recreation of a childhood summer favourite. The drink is made from scratch by slow-roasting green mangoes over charcoal to infuse the fruit with a smoky, earthy flavour. This aam panna base is prepared fresh every day using the traditional method. The drink is then topped with rock salt, smoked paprika and a vibrant matcha foam. “The sweet-sour-salty balance of aam panna helps elevate the earthy umami notes of matcha even further,” says co-founder Ashish D’abreo.

The drinks are priced at ₹270 upwards. At all outlets of Maverick & Farmer

Got Tea cafe in Kalyan Nagar was started by YuSung Eo. A Korean native who went to school in Mussoorie. After a stint in the US and back home in Korea, he returned to India and opened the first Got Tea in Delhi.

“We have been serving matcha from day one. In Korea, matcha has been popular for a long time. It is an acquired taste, so it took some time for our customers to take to it”. Matcha is also delicate, so if it is stored incorrectly, it is easy for it to go bitter. “We get our matcha from Shizuoka brand in Japan.” The cafe offers a matcha financier. A financier is a small French almond cake. This cake is topped with white chocolate and matcha glaze. In their beverage section, they offer a match-misu. A tiramisu drink where instead of espresso, the ladyfingers are soaked in matcha.

The matcha financier is priced at ₹160. At Kalyan Nagar. For more details call, 9667440872

Nasi and Mee is known for its pan Asian dishes. Ujjain Singh, the corporate development chef, explains their matcha offerings, “We have three matcha dishes in our menu. In our ‘Shiok Breakfast Club’ breakfast menu we have a Matcha French toast, we have a matcha panna cotta in our desserts, and we have a drink – matcha mel boba. We source our matcha from Singapore.” He says some desserts can be too sweet and matcha helps cut through the richness. The matcha French toast is made by soaking thick slices of brioche bread in milk and matcha tea. “This gives the dish a very unique green colour.” The bread is then cooked on a pan and served with a matcha cream and a berry compote. “The dish is completed by sprinkling more matcha powder on top.”