Matcha powder is notorious for forming little clumps after it is ground, packaged, and shipped from Japan. These little clumps are impossible to blend in when whisking your beverage, and they will be an un-welcome presence in your bowl of Matcha. This lightweight, bamboo-handled sifter works great for breaking-up those fine clumps, ensuring that you obtain a smooth and creamy cup of matcha.
Simply hold the strainer over your matcha bowl, use a chasaku (or a spoon) to add the desired amount of Matcha powder into the strainer and then use that same utensil to work it thru the fine screening (you may also tap the scoop on the rim of the strainer as necessary). The bottom of the strainer is flat, which allows for the matcha to be spread out for quicker sifting. It also has a small metal tab on the end opposite of the handle which allows you to rest the strainer on the wall of the matcha bowl while sifting, providing greater stability.
This fine mesh stainless steel strainer can also be used as a pour-through strainer (it will not reach deeply enough into most cups or teapots to act as a steeping strainer). It will filter steeped tea being poured from a teapot into either teacups or a second serving teapot or pitcher. This type of strainer is necessary for many East Asian green teas and semiball-rolled oolongs that ‘shed’ trapped particles as they steep.