Check out our guide to matcha, including where to buy it and plenty of recipe inspiration, then read about tempeh, nutritional yeast and agar agar.

What is matcha?

Matcha is a finely ground powder made of processed green tea leaves. Traditionally, matcha has been consumed in East Asia, namely in Japanese tea ceremonies, where serving and drinking matcha as hot tea symbolises a meditative spirituality. These days, it’s also used as a flavouring and dye in desserts and drinks, such as mochi, ice cream and lattes. ‘Ceremonial-grade’ matcha refers to the higher quality powder used in tea ceremonies, whereas ‘culinary-grade’ refers to that of a lower-quality, even though no standard industry definition or requirements for matcha exist.