While sipping hot ginger tea on a rainy day, I ruminated over the versatility of this ubiquitous preparation. Tea is universal yet its flavor varies from country to country sometimes even region to region. It may have a hundred variations in India itself.
The basic Indian preparation of tea is with sugar and milk. To this basic recipe you could infuse a few new and delightful flavors. Add shredded ginger while boiling the water and tea, or you could even experiment with cardamom powder. In India many people add a pinch of Tea masala while preparing tea. This is a mixture of powdered clove, cardamom, dry ginger and cinnamon. Try this out and you enjoy tea the way you’ve never done before. It’s a delectable combination of sweet and spicy flavors. The Kashmiris have tea, called Qahwa rich with saffron and dry fruits. Now-a –days we get fruit flavored teas as well. There is no end to experimentation. Here are 4 recipes of tea from different parts of the world which are very distinct in their flavors. Enjoy each sip of it while the aroma soothes your nerves and senses.
Turkish Tea
The Turks usually brew this tea in a samovar, and serve it in small glasses. You can also make it in a tea pot.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 ½ tsp. tea leaves
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. water
- 1 lemon slices
Method:
- Bring a cup of water to a boil in a tea pot.
- Add tea and sugar
- After it comes to a boil, strain it into tea cups
- Squeeze the lemon into it and drink hot
Makes 1 cup
Russian Tea
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp tea powder
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp Tang/ orange-flavored powdered drink mix
- 1 clove (powdered)
- 1 cup water
Method:
Mix all the above ingredients and bring it to a boil. Serve hot.
Indian Masala Tea
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp tea powder
- 1 small piece of dry ginger
- 1 cardamom pod, crushed
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 piece of cinnamon stick
- 11/2 cup Milk
- 1/2 cup Water
- Sugar to taste
Method:
- Mix the water and milk in a tea pot
- Add tea leaves
- Add chopped ginger, cinnamon, clove and cardamom
- Bring in to a boil and after taking it off the heat, keep the tea pot closed for 2 minutes to intensify flavor
- Strain into tea cups
- Add sugar as per taste and serve hot
Kashmiri Tea
Ingredients
- 1 tsp tea powder
- 1 cardamom pod, crushed
- 1 small cinnamon stick, broken up
- Saffron threads, a pinch
- 2 cups water
- 2 tbsp crushed almonds & pistachios
- Honey/sugar to taste
Method:
- Mix everything except honey and almonds in a tea pot and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a simmer and let tea steep for 5 minutes.
- Put a teaspoon of almonds in the bottom of each cup, and pour hot tea over.
- Sweeten with honey/sugar to taste.