Posted by Jeroen
First, let's clear up the misunderstanding: ube matcha is not a type of matcha. Matcha is green, always. What people call ube matcha or purple matcha is ube, or ube and matcha together in a glass. The two powders come from completely different plants and do not taste alike.
Ube and matcha side by side
| Ube | Matcha | |
|---|---|---|
| What is it | dried purple yam, a tuber | ground green tea leaves |
| Origin | Philippines | Japan |
| Color | purple | green |
| Taste | lightly sweet, nutty, vanilla-like | grassy, slightly bitter, umami |
| Caffeine | none | yes |
| Preparation | whisk with hot water, then milk | whisk with hot water, then milk |
The preparation is almost identical, and that is exactly why they are so easy to combine: you make them both the same way and pour them over each other.
Why does the combination work?
Matcha is grassy and slightly bitter, ube is mild and lightly sweet. The two complement each other instead of clashing. People who find matcha too bitter often drink it with an ube base underneath. Conversely, matcha balances out the sweet side of ube.
Visually, this is also the reason you see it everywhere: purple on the bottom, green on top, with a sharp dividing line.
The ratio
- 2 to 2.5 grams of ube powder, whisked with 20 ml of hot water at about 80 degrees
- 150 ml milk
- 1.5 to 2 grams of matcha, whisked separately with 40 ml of hot water at about 80 degrees
- Ice cubes for the cold version
Pour the ube milk into the glass, add ice, and slowly pour the matcha over it. Do not stir, so the layers remain intact. The full recipe with steps is on the ube matcha latte recipe page.
More matcha than this and the bitterness will overpower. Less, and you won't see the green layer properly.
Which matcha is suitable?
A ceremonial grade matcha, not a culinary baking matcha. The latter is more bitter and grittier, and that is a waste in a drink where you want to see the layers. A mild, umami-rich matcha works best with the sweet ube.
To be honest: I also sell matcha myself, under the name 22.Matcha. That is a separate brand with its own webshop. You are, of course, free to use any matcha you already have at home.
Does ube matcha contain caffeine?
Yes, from the matcha. Ube itself is caffeine-free. If you want the same color combination without caffeine, you cannot use matcha. Then a regular ube latte is the version you can drink in the evening.
Frequently asked questions
What is purple matcha?
Not matcha. That is ube, or ube with matcha on top. Matcha is always green.
Is ube matcha the same as taro matcha?
No. Taro is white inside and is often colored purple. Ube is purple by itself. See is ube a potato, a yam, or taro.
Can you stir ube and matcha together?
You can, but then you get a brownish color. The charm is in the layers, so pouring and leaving it alone works better.
Which milk is best for ube matcha?
Oat milk barista. It is neutral enough for the matcha and creamy enough for the ube, and gives the sharpest separation between the layers.
Make it yourself
With a 100-gram bag of ube powder, you can make about 50 drinks. Check out the ube matcha latte recipe or all ube recipes.
