I am obsessed with all things tea. Shaah (Somali tea) accompanied by a few buskud and great conversations always lead to laughter at home. My first memories of tea involve my mum introducing me to caano shaah (milky tea) when I was 8 years old, I felt so grown-up drinking what the adults were having. She would heat the milk separately and pour it between two different cups to make it a little frothy, just how I liked it.
From my early encounters with tea, I’ve developed a deeper interest in its varieties. I have a habit of making myself a cup of tea at the end of the day to help me relax. Whether I’m drinking a cup of tea on my own or with others, the feeling of home remains.
All tea comes from a plant called Camellia Sinensis and contains L-theanine which can reduce stress due to its relaxing properties, help you focus and facilitate sleep. I’ll delve into the types of teas with their flavours and brewed with some interesting facts. The difference between the types is how long they are oxidised, the darker the tea, the longer it has been left to oxidise.
Black Tea
Your everyday PG tips, if you’ve had tea it’s probably this. Whether you like it strong, mild, no sugar or 3, it’s quintessentially British to talk about how to make the perfect brew.
Assam: this tea originates from Assam, India and has a malty rich and slightly sweet flavour to it. It’s often used in English breakfast tea blends.
Darjeeling: musky, nutmeg, caramel, plum are some of the flavours you’ll pick up. It’s grown at high altitudes which enables the leaves to grow slowly and develop complex flavours.
Yunnan: A smoky and malty flavour with hints of caramel, cocoa and pepper notes to finish from this South Chinese tea. Chinese black tea is particularly high in antioxidants that potentially help fight different types of cancers and cardiovascular diseases.
Oolong Tea
Think of oolong teas as the bridge between black and green teas, so if you’re not a huge fan of either, then give oolong a try.
Eastern Beauty: this tea is Taiwanese in origin and has a peachy, aromatic, floral flavour to it.
Iron Buddha: grown in the Chinese mountains of Fujian, the flavours you can expect are floral, vanilla and apricot.
Four Seasons: this is one of the lightest oolong teas as it’s only about 15% oxidised originating from Taiwan. You’ll enjoy its buttery flavour and sweetcorn-like aroma.
Green Tea
You either love or hate green tea. Many associate a bitter taste with it but it shouldn’t be bitter at all, the bitterness can be a result of poor quality tea, steeping the tea at too high a temperature or for too long resulting in burning the tea leaves and leaving an unpleasant taste. I recommend you let your boiling water sit for 2 minutes before you brew. Try adding lemon or peach slices to curb the bitterness as well.
Sencha is a well-known Japanese green tea with intense vegetal and seaweed-like flavour to it.
Herbal
Produced from dried fruit or herbs rather than tea leaves, herbal teas have a range of health benefits. If you’re trying to avoid caffeine this should be your go-to.
Rooibos: originating from South Africa, rooibos has a rich, earthy bush-like flavour to it, it’s also surprisingly hydrating.
Hibiscus: a flower that produces a very tart, strong flavour and a vibrant pink colour. Interestingly, it can help induce labour and is also the favourite food of Iguanas.
Chamomile: this tea has a very light and floral taste with a lovely aroma. Some of its benefits include helping with digestion and reducing menstrual cramping.
Tea has so many benefits, flavours and varieties, if you don’t feel like you’re a tea person, just give it a chance and you’ll soon be converted!
My Aunty Kaltun’s Shaah
Ingredients (serves 3 people):
400 ml milk
3 black tea bags / 3 teaspoons loose leaf black tea
500 ml boiling water
1 tsp cardamom buds
2/3 Cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp ginger powder
Sugar to taste
