How is this. How is it that I make good tea.
I have had quite a few people ask me about my tea making ways. They wonder how I produce a potion that has such full yet delicate flavor. 'How is it that you get the perfect combination of cardamom, fennel or cinnamon in tea, Anjali?’ Or ‘how is it that most of the time you make such good tea with just one cardamom pod and a red rose tea bag?'
I have had quite a few people ask me about my tea making ways. They wonder how I produce a potion that has such full yet delicate flavor. 'How is it that you get the perfect combination of cardamom, fennel or cinnamon in tea, Anjali?’ Or ‘how is it that most of the time you make such good tea with just one cardamom pod and a red rose tea bag?'
I actually don't use red rose often for my own tea, not everyone can be a tea snob.
So this is how I do it. Let me tell you the secret to making good tea. Are you ready for it? Here it is:
It's all in how you brew it. You have to brew the tea.
No, actually........you have to
brrrrrrreeeeeeeewwwwwwwwww the tea.
Brewing the tea means you let the water simmer with the flavors that you are using for some time. You have to mix the water and flavors with a spoon now and then (or any utensil or stick thingie). You have to sniff the concoction and make sure the kitchen (or at least the stove area) starts enveloping a certain, pleasant, satisfying aroma. You have GOT to let the water absorb each and every atom of flavor.
After everything has brrreeeewwwwweeddd, you add the teabag (this is of course only for black tea. The rules for green and herbal teas differ slightly but there are still important differences. Feel free to buy yourself a copy of The Tea Companion, A Connoisseur's Guide. It's a good read. However I learned the art of brewing on my own. I'm a natural.
After you pour the tea brew in the mugs, add milk (PLEASE do NOT boil the tea with the milk. I know this is the Indian/Punjabi way of making tea but this is incorrect. Tea originally did not require the addition of milk in it. Adding milk is in fact an English tradition and the rest of the world followed it like with everything else the English did. However, over time, humanity has found that adding milk to black tea gives it a nice texture and feel on the tongue. Thus it is ok to include it AFTER the tea has boiled. Boiling tea with the milk and cinnamon and all the other heavy flavors some Indians and Americans put in it RUINS the delicate flavor. You might as well have a cinnamon bun instead if you're going to do it their way.
Anyway, after you add the milk, add sugar if wanted. You must always remember to add only that amount of sugar that the tea recipient wants. Even if you think that a little bit of sugar would be helpful in bringing out the flavor, you cannot add it if the recipient does not want it because after all, we want to please the recipient. Tea making and tea enjoying is a wondrous art.
It's all in how you brew it. You have to brew the tea.
No, actually........you have to
brrrrrrreeeeeeeewwwwwwwwww the tea.
Brewing the tea means you let the water simmer with the flavors that you are using for some time. You have to mix the water and flavors with a spoon now and then (or any utensil or stick thingie). You have to sniff the concoction and make sure the kitchen (or at least the stove area) starts enveloping a certain, pleasant, satisfying aroma. You have GOT to let the water absorb each and every atom of flavor.
After everything has brrreeeewwwwweeddd, you add the teabag (this is of course only for black tea. The rules for green and herbal teas differ slightly but there are still important differences. Feel free to buy yourself a copy of The Tea Companion, A Connoisseur's Guide. It's a good read. However I learned the art of brewing on my own. I'm a natural.
After you pour the tea brew in the mugs, add milk (PLEASE do NOT boil the tea with the milk. I know this is the Indian/Punjabi way of making tea but this is incorrect. Tea originally did not require the addition of milk in it. Adding milk is in fact an English tradition and the rest of the world followed it like with everything else the English did. However, over time, humanity has found that adding milk to black tea gives it a nice texture and feel on the tongue. Thus it is ok to include it AFTER the tea has boiled. Boiling tea with the milk and cinnamon and all the other heavy flavors some Indians and Americans put in it RUINS the delicate flavor. You might as well have a cinnamon bun instead if you're going to do it their way.
Anyway, after you add the milk, add sugar if wanted. You must always remember to add only that amount of sugar that the tea recipient wants. Even if you think that a little bit of sugar would be helpful in bringing out the flavor, you cannot add it if the recipient does not want it because after all, we want to please the recipient. Tea making and tea enjoying is a wondrous art.
So I just had tea with alu parantha (my eating times are a little off). Here is a summarized, step by step process for tea-making:
measure one big mug of water (plus a little more) and put in pot/teapot
turn heat to medium high (but closer to medium side)
break one cardamom and add the seeds plus the skin
add about twenty fennel seeds
pinch of cinnamon (a nice touch now and then)
let it brew
BBBBBRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWW
after a few minutes, stir the brew with a spoon (or stick thingie)
after another two minutes, stir the brew again (in fact, stir as often as you like)
sniff, taste the flavor with your nostrils
the water is probably boiling by now so add the teabag (black tea bag, however do not follow this process for darjeeling, ceylon or certain other teas)
then turn the heat WAY down low, the lowest you can go….sort of
let brewed tea simmer for another minute
take tea off heat and strain into mug
add milk and sugar to taste
Voila.
now sip and enjoy the delicate awakening of the nervous system.
after another two minutes, stir the brew again (in fact, stir as often as you like)
sniff, taste the flavor with your nostrils
the water is probably boiling by now so add the teabag (black tea bag, however do not follow this process for darjeeling, ceylon or certain other teas)
then turn the heat WAY down low, the lowest you can go….sort of
let brewed tea simmer for another minute
take tea off heat and strain into mug
add milk and sugar to taste
Voila.
now sip and enjoy the delicate awakening of the nervous system.
