Kuwaiti Tea - Sizin Portal

Kuwaiti Tea

Friday, July 4, 2008

Its funny how tea, originally from China, has been changed and adapted to fit the tastes of different nationalities. Tea spread to Japan from China and became a drink of the upper classes (from it was born the famous Japanese tea ceremonies). In Britain, tea is still very traditional - steeped in hot water, mixed with warm milk. In the US, tea has become synonymous with Chai, except for the southern states, where sweet iced tea is common.

India has the largest tea drinking population in the world! Taiwan is home to the bubble tea, or tea mixed with tapioca pearls and condensed milk. In the Middle Eastern countries, tea is steeped in hot water with saffron and spices. And that's what I've made today. And it was quite lovely. Tea is so versatile that it absorbs the flavors of the spices and/or fruit/flowers that you add to the hot water while steeping.


Kuwaiti Tea
(adapted from here)

1 pinch saffron
1 cup water
2 cardamom pods, broken
2 tea bags
1 tsp ginger, minced

Heat the water in a saucepan, adding the ginger, cardamom and saffron. When it reaches a boil, add the tea bags and allow to steep for about a minute. Strain and serve. Add sugar, if you'd like.

Traditionally, there is no ginger, but I wanted that extra zing.




This is off to EC at Simple Indian Food for Think Spice - Think Cardamom. Thanks for hosting - I've now discovered a new tea option!


I'm also sending this to Siri for the AWED: Middle Eastern Cuisine event. This is going to be so much fun - what a cool theme, Siri! AWED was started by Dhivya with a Mexican theme - you can see the fabulous round-up here.

And this is part of the RECIPE MARATHON. Do check out the other recipes posted today as part of the Marathon:
Bhags' Tomato Shorba.
Dhivs' Bhindi Jaipuri
Swati's Dum Ka Murg Zafrani
Divya's Peas Kurma
Valli's Chicken Semi Gravy.
Raaga's Masala Lauki Chana Dal
Lakshmi's Sour Cream Cake and
Siri's Baked Cauliflower!

And believe me, if I could've sent it to any more events, I would have! :)

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