Persian Tea Overview
A traditional drink in Iran, it is a very popular beverage. The most common way to consume Persian tea is by drinking milk, since it can be served hot or cold. The people of Iran drink tea at any time of the day. Persian tea is a national drink that’s more than just a beverage.
Has It Always Been Tea?
It was surprisingly no. Coffee was the main drink in Iran but the countries that grow coffee were a long way from Iran and the shipping process wasn’t easy. The main trading path of the time was the silk road, and China, a country famous for tea, was right along it. tea became the most popular drink in Iran, because it was easier to trade along the silk road.
Iran made an effort to cultivate tea since the demand for tea increased rapidly. The British ruled in the early 1900s and brought tea to Iran from India. The Northern region of Iran has cultivated its own tea since 1900s. One of the best teas in the country can be found in the area of Lahijan.
An Old Persian Ritual
Tea is much more than just a drink for Iranians. People are brought together indoors or outdoors. Tea places in Iran, called “ghahvehkhane”, which mean “coffee house” in Iranian, only serve tea. You could find these tea places all over the country, from the cities to the villages. They were a place where people could gather and have a conversation, or travelers could take a break and drink some tea.
To this day, tea (Cha-ee) is the most popular beverage in Iran, and it serves as a cause for people to congregate, speak, and spend time together. When you enter at a Persian house, the first thing you are served is a cup of freshly made tea, following the normal greetings. As I previously stated, this is more than a drink to us; it is a way of life. Iranians drink tea at any time of day, whether it is for breakfast, at 11 a.m., in the afternoon, evening, or late at night. In a Persian home, there is always freshly made tea.
What Makes It Special?
Persian tea is different from other teas because of a few things. Here’s why:
- It’s always brewed using loose black tea leaves.
- Persian tea is served in glass glasses so that the color may be seen.
- Depending on how much hot water you pour in your cup, you can serve it dark or light.
Tools To Make Persian Tea
Persian tea is traditionally brewed in a Samovar, which is a huge Russian metal container for heating water with a ring on top where you may set the teapot to brew tea. Traditional samovars utilize coal to heat, whereas modern samovars use electricity. Because samovars are quite costly and take up a lot of space, they are rarely used in modern houses.
The kettle and teapot are used to brew Persian tea. You can use any teapot you have, but China or porcelain teapots are preferred. Glass and cast iron teapots worked perfectly for making Persian tea. An electric kettle can be used to heat the water for your tea. I like to use a teapot with an infuser to prevent leaves from getting into the cup, but you can also use a strainer to do so.
To summarize, here are a few links to some of my favorite teapots and kettles:
- China teapot
- Glass teapot
- Cast iron teapot
What Kind of Tea Do I Need?
Loose leaf tea is required to make tea in the Persian manner. Iranians prepare tea at home with black loose leaf tea. Ceylon tea is my particular favorite because of its rich crimson color and delicate flavor. Other black teas that perform well include English morning and Irish tea.
How To Brew Persian Tea
It’s very simple to make this Persian beverage at home, here’s how:
- Boil the water in a regular or electric kettle.
- Pour two teaspoons of loose leaf tea into the teapot and cover with boiling water.
- Put the cover on and leave the tea to brew for 5-10 minutes. To improve brewing, a kitchen towel is commonly placed on the teapot.
- Bring another pot of water to a boil.
- Fill a glass cup with brewed tea and slowly pour in boiling water. Fill the cup up to ½ with tea for darker tea and ¼. with tea for lighter tea.
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