Tea Recipe: Steeping

The vast and varied World of Tea has its own characteristic brewing style. While the chai wallahs in India boil the brew over and over the tea brewing elsewhere could be a subtle affair. What type of leaves people prefer also differs? In some cultures green leaf is part of lifestyle while others may prefer the strong astringent flavor of the black leaf.   

One way of making the hot beverage is steeping. In this case the water is brought to boil and then transferred to the pot.  The leaves are then immersed in a loose form. They are kept in the hot water for few minutes before the brew is poured through the stainer for drinking. Similar immersion could be carried out after the water has cooled down. This way the lead does not get cooked and the flavor obtained differs.  Ice tea could also be prepared in this manner.

During this process the flavors and nutrients dissolve in the water. The method usually delivers a subtle flavor and the green leaf is most popularly used. The temperature varies and depends upon which tea leaf is used. Oolong, White, Green or Black tea. The steeping time also makes a difference in taste. If the leaves are kept for a longer time tannins are released in the water making the brew taste bitter.