Tea ceremony, in principle, historically belongs to the Chinese. They shared this drink with the world. However, it is worth paying tribute to the British: this country spread the addiction to tea in all the colonies of the former empire, infected its comrades-in-arms with love for it, popularized the drink with its neighbors and did much to improve it. Indian varieties are still the most popular, among them Assam tea.

Origin of tea

He owes his name to the name of the region, which is located in the delta of the river with the purely Indian nickname Brahmaputra. Now it is the largest square in the world where tea is cultivated. A significant advantage of this area is their height: they grow right up to 20 m, in contrast to the Chinese counterparts, whose height does not exceed four meters. The leaves of the plant are much larger if collected from a bush that grows in the Assam area. Tea from them turns out a beautiful reddish tint, although it is considered black. The leaves of the Indian bush are not as dense as the Chinese, due to which it is easier to give the drink a taste and aroma.

However, the British, who were then the masters of India, did not stop cultivating the wild plant: they had long and stubbornly crossed it with “relatives” of Chinese origin, experimented with the agrotechnical processing of plantations, methods of harvesting and brewing the finished product, achieving unique taste and aroma qualities. And what made the Assam area world famous as a result? Tea that is grown here.

Disputes about the championship

The popularity of this variety gave rise in its time even jealous discussions on the topic of who gave the world Assam-tea. The official discoverer is the English military who discovered unique tea trees during his travels and brought seeds and transplants to the governor of the region of Assam. It happened in 1823, which has since been considered the beginning of history and distribution. However, the brother of a major named Charles claimed that he was the first to discover amazing plants. The next opponent of Robert was Charlton, the lieutenant, who asserted that in 1831 he sent samples of bushes to the community engaged in gardening and agronomy. However, it was Robert Bruce who went down in history, and how it really was is covered with the darkness of obscurity.

Tastes and rules of consumption

I must say, "Assam" - one of the most famous and preferred varieties. Only he smells slightly, but rather perceptibly gives malt; only it combines honey taste with astringent tartness. Yes, and quite unusual for the red shade is very attractive for those who like this drink. If you are a sincere connoisseur of tea variety and want to enjoy the whole bouquet of aroma and taste from the heart, try to inhale the air after each sip and through the nose and mouth. All the subtleties and hidden shades you will feel in full, including a subtle menthol note.

If you do not want to delve into the nuances of preparing individual varieties of tea "Assam", you can follow the average. That is, put in a teapot of 300 ml a couple of spoons of raw materials, pour boiling water and leave for five minutes. However, please note: you can lose a lot in the aromatic and taste sensations.

Indian variety

Note that the assam-tea of ​​the “native” production is quite diverse in the assortment. There is a fairly large number of variations within the teas that are produced in Assam. For example, “Kiyung TGFOPI” - still considered a new variety, which not so long ago began to grow on the Kiyung plantation. Its refined aroma and viscous taste is very different from that which is Assam-tea BLEND ST.TGFBOP. It should be noted, is the product of the second collection and consists of a mixture of several black teas. This allows you to brew a very strong drink with a very deep and rich taste. One of the most valued (and at the same time - especially expensive) is Assam MOKALBARI. It has a high content of tea tree buds (bush), due to which the taste of malt and honey becomes more noticeable. But there are still varieties of “Dysajan TGFOP”, “Dingzhan” and so on, and each of them has its own flavor advantages. So a person who wants to find the most suitable assam tea will have to try quite a few drinks before choosing his own.

Features brewing individual varieties

Note that with the general similarity of different varieties to get the best taste is to listen to the recommendations of the manufacturer. So, the same “Kiyung TGFOPI” is advised to brew only a couple of minutes, and boiling water should cool down to 90 degrees. And MOKALBARI is recommended to brew with even cooler water, but it should be infused longer. So, black tea “Assam” of production of different varieties has its own subtleties when used.

Kazakh view on Assam tea

India with this Central Asian country has different views on the "correct" tea. The Kazakhs, in particular, are not too inclined to use a drink from sheet raw materials. Therefore, tea "Assam" from Kazakhstan mainly comes in granular form. Since 2009, there is a parallel Kazakh tea bag. For true drink fans, this is not a good substitute for Indian offerings, but the Kazakh options are much cheaper and more convenient when traveling. Friendly territory offers "Assam" in the following variations: evening, morning, GOLD, green and fruit. All this is packaged or granular packaging, which is quite cheap. However, if you are interested in real tea "Assam", the price should not confuse you. Raw materials simply must be leaf, and the origin - Indian. But then you have to pay from 240 to 700 rubles per 100 g - depending on the variety. For Kazakh teas you will pay from 25 (!) To 150. Choose what you like best.

Speaking of Indian tea, first of all, I recall tea assam, which ranks first in terms of production in this country. Strong, saturated with tart malt taste - it will be remembered by anyone who decides to evaluate its characteristics. Assam tea got its name because of its region of origin, although in Europe it is called “English tea for breakfast”.

Origin

Assam is an ancient province of India, which since the XIX century has been the main plantation of tea plant cultivation in this country. In consequence, this sort of black tea was also produced in other parts of India, but until now, Assam supplies the world market with more than 50% of the total raw materials. This is understandable - the ideal climatic indicators are combined with a different landscape from the plains to the highlands.

Indian tea Assam is collected twice a year - from mid-spring to summer, as well as in the autumn-winter period. The elite, and therefore expensive, is the summer harvest, as the leaves reach maturity and juiciness, as well as the largest size.

In addition to the harvest season, the quality of raw materials is influenced by the place of growth. Among the Indian teas, the variety that is grown in Upper Assam, where the hot, humid climate allows the tea leaves to pick up the juice and reveal all their flavors, is highly appreciated.

Features grade

Assam black tea has unique characteristics that distinguish it from other varieties. His distinctive taste and nobility were able to conquer even the British, who use sheet assam for a traditional breakfast.

In comparison with Ceylon tea, assam is softer and less viscous, however, it is much stronger and richer than Chinese drinks.

Description:

• The leaves of Assam are large, dark, rich in burgundy to red-black, as in the photo.
• The color of the infusion should be amber and uniform.
• The aroma of the drink is easily recognizable. It contains nutty and honey notes, which depend on the place where the raw materials grow.
• The taste of tea is invigorating, strong and rich. It is dominated by floral honey notes, while the aftertaste of the drink is a refreshing malt.

Assam can be consumed without any additives, as its distinctive taste and aroma, allow you to fully enjoy the drink. However, it goes well with milk and cream, as well as mint.

How to cook

In order to fully reveal the paints of tea, you must follow the proper technique of brewing. For this you need a glass or clay teapot. Wash it with boiling water to prepare the kettle to raise the temperature. Then put the tea leaves and fill it with water with a temperature of 60 to 65 degrees. Tea will be ready after 5 minutes. During brewing it is recommended to cover the kettle with a napkin, and not to close the lid. It is important not to overdo the brewing time, otherwise the drink will turn out to be bitter.

Beneficial features

• Prevention of tumor formations - phenols contained in the composition have a powerful antioxidant effect, protecting the body from oxidative processes in the process of biomolecular interaction with oxygen.
• Vessel protection - tea flavonoids strengthen the vascular wall endothelium, as well as the heart valve, which is the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes.
• Prevention of Parkinson's disease, since the assam contains a large amount of caffeine. For the same reason, it is recommended to use it to give vitality and enhance brain activity.

In addition, assam has a beneficial effect on metabolism and promotes careful digestion of food. He will be a good helper with active weight loss, as it will contribute to fat burning.

Types of Assam Tea

In the Russian market you can find Assam tea from different manufacturers. Newby Assam, which is supplied by India, is very popular, but it is difficult to find it in chain stores, as well as Meleng Assam, who is based on classic Indian brewing. Tea from Ahmad is more affordable, but it is necessary to come to terms with the fact that its preparation is taken from the second collection of raw materials, that is, less expensive and of high quality.

The leader in supplying tea to the assam on the Russian market is the Kazakh brand Teahouse, which produced a whole collection of drinks of the same name. The basis of the collection is a classic assam, which has two types: packaged and granulated. Granules are available in medium size and uniform color. Classic tea has a rich floral and nutty taste and a malty aftertaste. It goes well with additives in the form of sugar and milk.

Granulated assam has two types: "morning" and "evening." The first has smaller granules and a more complex composition of the blend, which gives an even greater strength to the drink. Due to this, morning assam perfectly awakens and gives a charge of cheerfulness for the whole day.

Evening variety is available in granular and bagged form. It is softer and with a gentle relaxing scent. Due to the small strength and richness of taste, this tea is perfect for evening family tea.

Kazakhstan also produces assam, but it is less popular both in the country and in the world market. It has a more pronounced flavor, which not everyone has to taste and requires strict adherence to the brewing technology, otherwise the taste will be distorted. Leaf assam is also a versatile tea drink, which is beautifully revealed both in its pure form and when adding milk or lemon.

• Assam Gold - the drink is produced in limited quantities, as for its production they take the best raw materials of the province, and all the characteristic properties of tea are brought to absolute values ​​in it. In order to preserve the taste and aroma indicators, Assam Gold is produced in the form of individual packaging-sachet, as well as in more affordable granular form.
• Assam fruit is an amazing development, based on tea blend from Assam province, as well as Ceylon tea with natural fruit notes. This combination was chosen deliberately, because the classic look of the drink tends to interrupt the taste of the fruit, so natural or artificial additives would still not give shades to tea. There are 7 kinds of fruit tea on the market: black currant, bergamot, lemon, blueberry, peach, strawberry and raspberry.
• Green Assam is available in granular, sheet and packaged form. And it is the packaged variety that has Indian production, and leaf tea is of Chinese origin. Green variety has a characteristic tartness and invigorating aroma.

Acam is recommended for all tea lovers to get acquainted with tea. It is valued for noble flavors and a unique flavor. A variety of tastes will help not only to enjoy the classic version, but also to choose tea in the mood.

Publication 2017-10-20    Liked 12   Views 6842

Darjeeling is assembled by hand.

Sikkim tea is still new

"Special" Masala

Real Ceylon Tea

Types of Indian Tea

India is known for the abundance of its products, and perhaps the most popular of them is Indian tea. Climate and proper care have created the ideal tea plant for the magical tea plant to supply with the divine drink not only one country, but the whole world.

Tea from India is famous for its excellent taste, aroma and benefits for the body and soul.

Assam - Popular Indian Tea

Its history began in the XIX century, when the British brought its first seeds to the state of Assam. The conditions for cultivation turned out to be suitable, and a few years later the world's first tea company with the same name, Assam, appeared. The owners of the plantations became ships to supply Indian black tea to Britain. He still leads the market. Assam has a tart taste and a spicy aroma with honey notes. It is very invigorating and strengthens blood vessels, if it is drunk in moderate quantities.

Indian tea is grown exclusively in tropical mountain areas.

Darjeeling is assembled by hand.

At about the same time, in the 19th century, the seeds of the tea plant were brought to Bengal, Darjeeling district. The mountainous terrain in northeastern India on the border with Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet became the birthplace of the famous Indian variety Darjeeling. Workers on the plantation were recruited from Nepal, and the business was led, of course, by the British. In the 1970s, almost all the land was redeemed by the Indians. Until now, Indian tea is harvested by hand. For two centuries, the clothes have not changed, the same on women-gatherers.

The popularization of a healthy lifestyle in the past decade has sparked a new wave of interest in Darjeeling. Because of the nutmeg, refined and delicate taste, the drink is called "tea champagne." Darjeeling invigorates, tones and improves digestion.

From leaves collected by residents of Darjeeling County, you will get amazing Indian tea

Sikkim tea is still new

Another young and unique species grows in India - Sikkim tea. It appeared on the market only at the end of the 20th century, but quickly won the love of connoisseurs. The conditions of the highlands of the eastern part of the Himalayas give Indian Sikkim tea the sweet taste of Assam and the nutmeg aroma of Darjeeling. The first harvest in the year of this Indian black tea is considered the most valuable, refined, retaining a large number of useful substances, and, accordingly, the most expensive and rare.

Tea is the second most popular drink after water. And almost a third is in Indian

Nilgiri - elite Indian tea

India is known for another nilgiri variety. This Indian variety is not easy to buy: 1 kg of dried leaf costs about $ 600. Therefore, if you usually see a low price tag on a nilgiry package, it is likely that it is mixed with cheaper varieties. It grows in the south of India, where heavy rains allow tea to grow all year round. It has a soft and light taste, set off by notes of lemon flavor. Antioxidants that are contained in nilgiry, can have a therapeutic effect on the cardiovascular system.

One kilogram of leaves makes almost 400 cups of tea.

"Special" Masala

Now a few words about the famous Indian masala tea. "Masala" is translated from Hindi as "spice", that is, masala is tea with. Any black (preferably Indian) tea is taken as a basis; milk, sweetener, cardamom, cloves, ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, anise and other spices are added to it. In Asia, Masala can be bought in finished form - the powder is poured with boiling water, it remains to add only milk and sugar to taste. However, the most delicious masala is the one that is cooked at home with your own hands. This Indian tea warms, lowers the temperature during a cold, relieves hunger, regulates pressure.

Masala - India's Gastronomic Heritage

Real Ceylon Tea

Very often Ceylon tea is confused with Indian tea through ignorance. Ceylon is the old name of the island. Tea from here takes the third place in the world in terms of exports to the world market. He, in contrast to the present Indian, is black and green, while India is known for its predominantly black varieties. The legendary Thomas Lipton, whose name has been widely known for many years, acquired most of the Sri Lankan plantations in the 1890s. He began to grow tea on them and sell it at the lowest price, which made him famous all over the world.

Ceylon tea ranks third in popularity after Chinese and Indian teas.

The variety of varieties of Ceylon tea creates some difficulty with his choice. However, do not be afraid, you need to understand. The variety "Nuwara Eliya" grows at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level, has a soft and delicate taste. It is impatient, contains the scent of herbs that grow nearby. "Uda Pussellava" grows 200 meters below the previous one, has an average fortress and a slight tartness. The varieties “Dimbula”, “Uva”, “Kandim” and “Ruhuna” are reduced by 200-500 meters respectively and the lower the level of the mountains, the stronger the drink. To feel their differences, you must buy a 100% grade of one tea, abandoning blends (blends).

There are about 1,500 varieties of tea in the world.

Types of Indian Tea

According to the method of mechanical processing of tea leaves, Indian tea can be divided into four types:

• sheet. It happens large - and srednelistovoy
• granulated - the leaves are crushed and twisted in a special way
• pressed. Divided into brick and tile (preformed)
• powder. This type of tea is packaged in bags.

Both green and black Indian tea are made from the same plant. Difference - in processing

It is believed that it is the Indian leaf tea that retains the maximum amount of nutrients, keeps the aroma and taste. Granulated brewed many times faster than others and is more economical. Extruded gets such a form for convenient transportation over long distances with the preservation of flavor and taste. Indian powdered tea is packaged in sachets, it goes on a massive sale - the aroma and taste are significantly lost.

200 years ago tea cubes replaced money in Siberia

How to choose the perfect Indian tea

You can buy Indian tea both in India and abroad. Special labeling on the packaging indicates its quality. If you want to find the highest class, look for the tops of the shoots of the plant and avoid the “powder with firewood”. That is, with admixtures of branches or other varieties.

The first mention of tea from the 16th century

Six signs of original tea:

1. Smell. The drink should smell good even when dry.
2. Colour. When brewing tea looks like its own variety.
3. Humidity. Good tea is quite dry, but not overdried.
4. Appearance. The original tea leaves are always twisted, regardless of the size of the leaf.
5. Marking Must be present on the packaging.
6. Storage. Perfect Indian tea should be fresh and not lie on the shelf for more than a few months.

Brew Indian tea for yourself and your loved ones

Choosing your favorite Indian tea is like a science or an art. Try, experiment, comprehend this knowledge, and very soon the magic of this drink will give you its fruits.

A real Indian grandfather shares a recipe for real Indian tea. Masala with his own hands - a magical result is guaranteed!

Julia Verne 3 764 0

India is the second largest producer of tea in the world after China and the birthplace of such world-famous teas as Assam, Darjeeling and Nilgiri, which grow in the same Indian provinces. 30% of world tea production is concentrated in India. Assam tea is officially recognized as the state drink in India in 2011, and in 2013 - the country's national drink.

The world-famous Indian traditional medicine of Ayurveda has been using tea leaves in combination with parts of other medicinal plants for many millennia as indispensable medicines for many serious pathological conditions.

The Indian tea ceremony, if it could be called such, is not replete with certain canons in the conduct or preparation of a tea drink. In India, honoring recipes for making favorite tea and getting pleasure from using it is more honored than carrying out any rituals. Formal events, wedding celebrations, meetings of old friends, as well as the usual homemade feast can not do without the use of your favorite, generally accepted tea drinks, such as masala tea in various ways of cooking.

Documentary evidence of the use of tea in India dates back to 750 BC. There is a very interesting legend claiming that it was India, not China, that became the first country in the world to give tea to the world. The legend says about a certain holy monk who made a vow to spend 7 years of sleepless days and nights, contemplating the life and teachings of the Great Buddha. In the fifth year without sleep, the monk almost fell asleep, and in order to distract himself somehow, he took a few leaves from a nearby bush and began to chew them. The leaves gave him courage, banishing sleep and the monk successfully fulfilled his sleepless vow and became the founder of Zen Buddhism. The leaves from that bush belonged to a wild tea plant.

Assam - the largest tea plantation in India, some believe that - in the world. The territory of the plantation is the birthplace of the wild-growing plant Camillia Sinensis assamica - the tea bush and, subsequently, the largest plants for the production of tea raw materials.

In 1815, in India’s colonized England on the territory of Assam, the first tea factory was opened, which was a great blessing for the English tea trade. By that time, England was so addicted to tea that the expensive Dutch supplies from China were already in short supply, and wild tea gardens in colonized India were idle, dropping valuable raw materials to the ground. In addition, a large Indian tea export could seriously strangle the Dutch, who were not entirely clean on hand, at that moment.

The second tea plant, built by the British in 1823, was the family heritage of the botanist brothers Robert and Charles Bruce, who devoted almost their entire lives to researching the cultivation of the tea plant and new ways of processing it. Thanks to the activities of the brothers, tea production in the country has grown several times, providing jobs for thousands of poor Indians.

By the end of the 1870s, the British had invented many varieties of various pieces of equipment, automating the processing of tea raw materials. The heavy working conditions for drying and roasting tea raw materials began to be performed by 8,000 automatic systems, replacing half a million pairs of workers. Thanks to innovations in the field of tea production in Assam, tea consumption in England, per person, increased from one pound in 1820 to 8 pounds a year, by 1880. The global arena of tea consumption was not ignored either - the export volume of Indian tea exceeded Chinese counterparts many times.

Assam is the largest tropical valley in India. In the northern part of the river flows the Brahmaputra - one of the longest rivers in the world, which carries its waters from Tibet and provides with plenty of watering the tea gardens of the fertile plains. The southern half of Assam is a flowering valley that abuts the foothills of the Himalayas. Warm air currents of the mountains, abundance of water and fertile soils create ideal conditions for cultivating the tea bush, which grows very lush, teeming with large juicy leaves that serve as raw materials for a strong, full-bodied tea with a sweet, tart flavor, known as asam.

The assam's vegetative tea season lasts from March to November, tea leaves are harvested twice per season - in March, the so-called First Flash, characterized by a thinner, unobtrusive aroma and taste of the finished tea drink, and in July Tippi is more mature and saturated tea from succulent, copper-coated with sunlight, leaves covered with a layer of a delicate silver gun. It is Tippi that is considered the most expensive variety for preparing the national tea drink Masala.

Assam's teas are famous for their hearty, bold aroma, the drink from which can be consumed in its pure form or with the addition of milk and sugar. Due to its excellent taste, Assam tea has become widespread throughout the world, including in England, where it is an essential attribute of morning tea.

Darjeeling Tea

Cultivation of wild-growing Assam tea, native to the Indian land, did not prevent the British from attempting to grow Chinese varieties in the Darjeeling mountainous area. At that time, there were many doubts that the contraband Chinese seed would take root on the heights of the rocky mountains in a cool and rainy climate. However, success was not long in coming - by the mid-1850s, the cultivation of Chinese tea in the Darjeeling Mountains had reached a serious industrial scale, thanks to the active sponsorship of the English tea barons. But, despite all the efforts, the tea plantations did not manage to outgrow in volumes Assam. Today, tea production in Darjeeling accounts for about 1% of the total tea production in India.

Darjeeling Province is located in the vicinity of the city of the same name in the state of West Bengal in eastern India. Tea gardens grow at different altitudes of the Himalayan slopes - from 2000 to 7000 m above sea level, stretching with many kilometers of ribbons on hills, valleys, steep mountain slopes, down to the wet alpine forests. Due to the strong elevation difference in different parts of Darjeeling plantations, the microclimate varies greatly - from the cold foggy breeze through humid subtropical forests to hot areas abundantly doused with monsoon rains, which adds special value to Darjeeling tea.

The most valuable are teas grown on higher plantation levels at lower temperatures. Such growing conditions are not always favorable for high yields, therefore Darjeeling is always in short supply.

Unlike tea assam, tea bush gives birth to not such fleshy, juicy leaves. Being a hybrid of Chinese and Indian teas, narrower, thin and long leaves are characteristic of Darjeeling, and unlike Chinese ancestors, each bush produces twice as much tea raw materials.

Darjeeling tea raw materials are harvested four times per season. During the first, earliest gathering - in February-March, a kidney and two leaves surrounding it are plucked out. Tea from the first flash carries a very subtle and delicate taste on a transparent light green background of the drink, accompanying the tea drinking with a floral, fresh and slightly astringent aroma.

The second gathering begins in May. In the raw materials are larger and mature leaves with a purple tinge. This harvest tea is famous for its rich muscat-fruity aroma.

From June to October, the time comes for the third gathering, which is called the Monsoon Flash. Large mature leaves are collected from which, by special processes of fermentation and roasting, they achieve a strong, rich, unprecedentedly bold taste and aroma of red tea.

The period of “Autumn Flash” comes in October-November; the last leaves are collected, which give a copper-red drink, which can be characterized as a full and smoothing taste with a dry aroma.

Interesting to know!
  There is no identical Darjeeling to taste, even within one flash - the harsh mountain climate is very variable from year to year, which gives each crop its own special, unique shade and flavor palette.

Darjeeling tea should be drunk as the best red wine, for its brewing there are a large number of recipes in the best Indian traditions. Darjeeling of the third and fourth harvests, which is a black tea and more low-grade, compared with earlier collections, is the basis for Masala among the poor people of India.

Nilgiri tea

The mountainous nature in Tamil, the southern Indian province of Nilgiri, is very similar to the conditions of Darjeeling, so the Nilgiri tea variety, in many ways, is similar to the more expensive Darjeeling, but still inferior to it in the cost of raw materials. Since the time of the tea establishment in the Nilgiri, most of the exports have always gone to Eastern Europe and Russia - regions that have always consumed less tea than England or America. However, the requirements of consumer countries to the quality of tea over time, all the higher, so nilgiri tea is becoming better.

The terrain and climate of Nilgiri is less extreme than in Darjeeling - close proximity to the warm Indian Ocean makes itself felt. Valleys abound in dense forests, tropical jungles, cool mists and sunny plateaus fed by numerous streams and rivers. Today, more than 70% of the Nilgiri area is occupied by tea gardens.

The natural conditions of the area allow to grow tea all year round, but the best nilgiri is tea, which is collected from November to March. Like its closest neighbors in Darjeeling, tea bushes are hybrids of Chinese and Indian varieties that produce an abundance of dark, rich leaves that give a rich color and aroma to the finished tea drink, enriched with the flavors of cypresses and eucalyptus.

Nilgiri is the most productive and exported variety, thanks to year-round cultivation and abundance of the crop.

The tea drink is characterized by the bright, fruity aroma of Darjeeling and the power of Assam. Unlike most ready-made drinks, nilgiri black tea does not form an oil film on the surface after cooling, which makes it especially popular among ice tea lovers. And because of its strong and consistent flavor, it is a popular choice as a base for masala.

Another feature of nilgiris is the low content of tannins in the tea leaf, which allows it to retain its best qualities for many brewing or long boiling, which is required by many classic tea drink recipes, most of which are based on prolonged cooking of the tea leaf with milk and spices.

Masala tea - the best drink

There is no strictly defined Masala recipe. Indian tea house owners, however, like Indian housewives, always have a couple of their own masala recipes. The only monotony of all options is boiling tea leaves in milk with the addition of a variety of spices, spices and sweeteners. Therefore, masala is more correctly attributed to the class of tea drink, rather than a particular type.

As already mentioned, masala always includes four main ingredients: tea base, milk, spices and sweeteners.

Masala tea base

Tea raw materials for the preparation of the drink, as a rule, is a strong black tea varieties Assam, Darjeeling or Nilgiri. The choice of the variety depends only on the state of the financial status of the tea parties. The Assam variety is considered the most expensive, and the third and fourth collection Darjeeling is the cheapest. However, there is a separate variety of high-quality raw materials for widespread use of masala - India’s tea factories produce special granulated Mamri tea from Assam tea leaves, which are much cheaper than the leaf equivalent.

Spice

Traditional masala is boiled with the addition of various hot spices, which are always based on a mixture of "Kara", consisting of dried ginger and green cardamom pods. Cinnamon, anise, dill seeds, allspice, nutmeg or cloves can be added to the drink.

The composition of the spices is highly dependent on regional characteristics. For example, in Western India, trying to avoid the use of cloves and black pepper, and in Kashmir, the favorite ingredients are almonds, cinnamon, cloves and saffron. In Bhopal, a pinch of salt is often thrown into a cup of tea.

In addition to those listed above, the additional ingredients of a tea drink may be nutmeg, black cardamom, chili pepper, coriander, rose petals, or licorice root. A small amount of cumin is added to “warm the soul” in Ayurveda techniques, and - masala with turmeric is served to those suffering from fever.

Milk

For the preparation of masala in India, buffalo milk is used, in other countries - cow milk. The overall ratio of water and milk is usually 1: 1, in some cases it is possible to add only a quarter of the milk. Some masala lovers prefer to add condensed milk, which, in addition to giving milk qualities, enhances sweetening.

Sweeteners

Masala is a sweet drink, this is its inherent characteristic, so sweeten tea in India with everything your heart desires: white, brown, palm, coconut sugar, Demerara sugar, fruit syrup, honey, and condensed milk. In the poorer rural areas of India, jaggery is used.

The amount of sugar within a serving is highly dependent on a specific recipe, but masala is a sweet or very sweet tea. One tablespoon of sugar per cup of tea is considered the optimal amount.

Cooking masala

The easiest way to prepare masala is to boil all the ingredients in one pot at the same time. For these purposes, even sold special mixtures that are of the same name of the drink. One pack contains a blend of tea base, powdered milk, a set of spices and sugar. In addition, in the markets you can often find tea sets "Walach", which are separate packages of all necessary components.

Other recipes require pre-boiling of tea leaves in milk and the subsequent addition of spices, others - boiling spices with tea leaves and further adding milk, and sometimes spices are added to the cooled beverage.

A separate recipe for the preparation of Masala is kept by Marathi - a separate nation in India. Half a glass of milk and sugar, if desired, is added to the pot for half a liter of water. Bring to a boil, add spices, it is usually a mixture of ground cardamom, cinnamon, ground cloves, grated ginger powder and ground pepper. Constantly stirring, bring to a boil, then add 1 teaspoon of black tea. Then immediately removed from heat, cover and incubated for about 10 minutes.

Masala outside India

Thanks to the British, in whom the masala tea served as the basis for traditional tea drinking, the drink spread almost all over the world, and, in some cases, became one of the ingredients for preparing various spicy pastries.

Networks American "CoffeeHouse" prepare a drink from semi-finished concentrates, without spending time on making tea from scratch. In addition, there are dry granulated drink blends that are sufficient to be diluted with boiling water to enjoy the wonderful taste of the overseas drink.

Many coffee houses in Germany and France offer their guests masala, which is often called “Tea Latte”, which can be consumed both hot and cold.

Currently, Assam has 765 large tea estates and about 100,000 small plantations, which produce 570 million kilograms of tea per year, which represents 13% of the total tea production worldwide.

The list of the main Assamese tea plantations:

Addaibari Tea Estate
. Amgoorie Tea Estate
. Batali tea estate
. Bazaloni Tea Estate
. Banaspaty Tea Estate
. Behora Tea Estate
. Belseri Tea Estate
. Bherjan Tea Estate
. Bhooteachang Tea Estate
. Bohakhat Tea Estate
. Boisahabi Tea Estate
. Borengajuli Tea Estate
. Bukhial Tea Estate
. Chubwa Tea Estate
. Daisajan Tea Estate
. Dejoo tea estate
. Dekorai Tea Estate
. Delakhat Tea Estate
. Dhunseri Tea Estate
. Dikom Tea Estate
. Dimakusi Tea Estate
. Dinjan Tea Estate
. Doomni Tea Estate
. Doomur dullung
. Duflating Tea Estate
. Gingia tea estate
. Hahorhabi tea estate
. Hajua tea estate
. Halmari Tea Estate
. Harishpur Tea Estate
. Harmutty Tea Estate
. Hathikuli, Tea Estate
. Hatimara Tea Estate
. Hattialli Tea Estate
. Jaipur Tea Estate
. Khobong Tea Estate
. Khongea Tea Estate
. Kondoli Tea Estate
. Kopili Tea Estate
. Krishnakali Tea Estate
. Ligri Pookrie Tea Estate
. Maijan Tea Estate
. Mangalem tea estate
. Maud tea garden
. Meleng Tea Estate
. Mokalbari Tea Estate
. Moran Tea Estate
. Nagrijuli Tea Estate
. Nahorabi Tea Estate
. Namsang Tea Estate
. Nokhroy Tea Estate
. Numalighur Tea Estate
. Orangajuli Tea Estate
. Pengaree Tea Estate
. Phulbari Tea Estate
. Powai Tea Estate
. Ramanugger Tea Estate
. Rani Estate
. Rembeng Tea Estate
. Romai Tea Estate
. Salonah tea estate
. Sankar Tea Garden
. Satrupa Tea Estate
. Sessa tea estate
. Sewpur tea estate
. Singlijan Tea Estate
. Sree Sibari Tea Estate
. Teloijan Tea Estate
. Tirupati Tea Estate
. Tongonagaon Tea Estate
. Towkok Tea Estate

Tea raw materials for the production of Assam is processed in 2 ways:

1. Traditional (orthodox) method

2. Mechanized CTC treatment system

Assam, processed in the traditional way by hand, contains the largest number of tea buds and large, undamaged leaves. There are 4 main categories of tea, processed by the orthodox method: 1. FOP (Flowery Orange Pekoe) - the first leaf of the tea shoot is used as raw material. 2. OP (Orange Pekoe) - second sheet, 3. P (Pekoe) - third sheet, 4. Souchong - fourth sheet. TGFOP (Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) - is the highest category of Assamese black tea, which is produced in small quantities. There is a joke about high-grade black tea among tea lovers: TGFOB - Too good for ordinary people (too good for ordinary people). At present, India has begun to specialize in the production of large-leaf varieties of green, white tea and even some varieties of oolong. The word “pekoe,” used in the gradation of black tea categories, is derived from the Chinese “silver villus”. The name “Orange” has nothing to do with the orange or golden color of the leaves. Black tea OP "Orange Pekoe" denotes the highest category of tea, consisting of young delicate leaves and corresponds with the East-Dutch Indian company supplying tea to Europe, as well as the royal family of Holland, having the name English. "House of Orange".

The CTC processing system (English cut, tear, curl - cut, crush, twist) was developed in 1876 by George Reid, and in 1930 the CTC was improved by William McKercher. In contrast to the traditional method, tea raw materials after drying, fermentation and roasting are driven through numerous cylindrical rollers, which cut and chop the tea leaves, and then pass through automated sorting. The remains of tea "Fannings, Dust" - tea dust is used for low-grade granulated tea and tea bags. Finely granulated Assamese tea from low-grade raw materials is known in the world under the name "Breakfast tea - English. Breakfast tea".

How to brew tea Assam

For brewing Indian tea Assam is best to use a kettle of Yinsky clay, glass or porcelain teapots, you can also use a regular tea pot with a strainer. Assam brewing is almost identical with Darjeeling and other black Indian and Ceylon teas. Approximately 200 ml. boiled water (90 ° C) is taken about 5 grams of tea leaves. With an excess of tea leaves or perezavarivanii infusion can get a bitter taste. The first brew is merged after 3-5 seconds, 2 is kept for 30 seconds, and each subsequent brew is increased by approximately 30 seconds. Assam tea maintains from 3 to 4 tea leaves. The time and volume of brewing is often chosen empirically and depends on personal preferences. Infusion of Assam has a strong rich flavor and aroma. Assam teas blend perfectly with the taste of lemon, honey,