Cooking with Matcha

A few weeks ago, I met the one-woman power house behind Matcha Source, a website for all kinds of excellent information about matcha as well as a full-service matcha source (tehehe). The matcha lady handed me a book called New Tastes in Green Tea. Though I was scared at first, she encouraged me that cooking with matcha would have great outcome - both in terms of taste and with the added health benefits of the powder.

I skimmed through until I found something that perked my interest. The croquettes! It's hard to go wrong when you fry something. All that labor of rolling things into balls is offset by the fact that, if you don't burn them, it'll all taste great.

I boiled some potatoes and sauteed onions and peas.  The recipe called for meat as well, but I skipped it.



Then I added the matcha powder to the vegetables. Strange! But I kinda liked the feeling.



I then added the mixture to my boiled, drained, and fork-mashed taters. I had to really work things through with the  fork to smooth it all out.



I kept thinking back to my matcha friend. Her skin and hair were so good; something to do with the matcha I am sure. I hopped over to her site for a minute while I was cooking to get pumped. I suggest visiting it if you're cooking with matcha!

Back at the range, it was time for me to heat some oil, set up my dipping bowls for frying, and get to forming croquettes.



I wasn't in the mood to deep fry so I pan-fried, making sure to roll the croquettes around every few minutes.



I set up a plate with a paper towel on it to drain the buggers off et voila! Matcha croquettes.