What’s In The Packet?
100% natural. organic ingredients. artisanal. traditional recipe.
hand-milled. hand-blended. hand-packaged
Feel
Spirited.
Strengthened.
Sophisticated.
Tastes
Floral.
Spiced.
Fragrant.
Fragrant, smooth and medium-bodied, perfumed by the enticing aroma of cardamom and accented with delicate floral undertones of rose.
Experience It
Morning, Noon & Early Afternoon.
Hot or Iced. Pure or Sweet.
Solo or With Your Fav Treat.
Best Enjoyed
Steaming hot, so the floral-spiced fragrance can work its magic on your senses. This delightful tea can be transformed into a cooling treat by serving it over ice. If you love tea in its natural state, the soft and harmonious flavours make Persian Cardamom ideal. However, for the authentic experience, add your desired sweetener to lift the floral-spiced notes to new heights. To sup in true Persian style, perch a sugar cube between your teeth and marvel as it slowly dissolves with each sip of tea. Alternatively, stir your tea with a nabat (rock sugar candy stick).
Best Served
In traditional tiny tulip cups on a decorative tea tray. You can use your finest china if you’re out to impress guests. Pour dainty doses of tea into each cup, keeping the rest hot in the teapot. Then be a mindful host and keep the refills flowing. For some other-worldly charm, try brewing and serving your Persian Cardamom tea the traditional way: from a samovar, or using the slightly more modern double kettle-teapot method.
Pairs With
Chayi ba Hel is a fragrant treat unto itself, but for a decadent cultural experience, pair it with fresh and dried fruit and salted, roasted nuts and seeds. Rather than adding sugar to their tea, many Iranians prefer to sweeten the experience by nibbling on sweets with each sip. Common Iranian tea-sweetening treats include, dates, dried white mulberries, zoolbia (sugar-soaked, deep-fried dough spirals), and bamieh (Persian doughnuts).
Tea Time
There are certain moments in Iran that are always accompanied by tea, but the nation’s favourite beverage knows no seasonality. It can be enjoyed any time of day, though only lovers of a late buzz continue drinking into the night.
Caffeine Level
Moderate
For a softer buzz
Taste Strength
Medium
For a rich, smooth experience
Known For
Balanced Vitality. Mood Enhancement. Digestive Support
Brewing Guide
Hankering for a tea fix, stat? Follow this shortcut for a quick cuppa!
-
Leaf
1 tsp
-
Liquid
200 ml
-
Method
Steep
-
Temp
100°C
-
Time
2 – 3 min
How to Brew the Simple Way
To Make 1 Cup:
- 1
Add 1 tsp of tea to a teapot, a tea maker, or an infuser pot, mug or cup.
- 2
Pour in 200 ml (7 fl oz) of water boiled to 100°C (212°F).
- 3
Steep for 2 – 3 min.
- 4
Strain into cup or, if using an infuser, remove it from the cup or mug.
- 5
Enjoy pure or sweeten to taste.
This Brewing Guide details how we recommend brewing your tea. But taste is a very personal thing, and we all have our own quirks and preferences. So feel free to experiment and have fun finding your tea brewing groove! You can then refer back to this Brewing Guide anytime you want a refresher on the best tools to use, the ideal brewing method, the magic leaf-to-water ratio, and the perfect water temperature and brewing time.
Celebrate the essence of Persian Cardamom tea, your stovetop the stage for its spiced floral dance
How to Brew the Traditional Persian Way
Experience your Persian Cardamom tea at its finest, using double kettle-teapot or samovar brewing to reveal unparalleled depths of flavour.
Tea Tools
All the specialised utensils you’ll need for the traditional brew:
-
Measure
Persian Cardamom tea is typically made as a tea concentrate and then diluted with hot water to taste. Depending on how strong you like your brew, you will need 1 – 1 ½ tsp of tea per 100 ml (3.5 fl oz) of water to prepare your concentrate. For best results, use freshly drawn ambient filtered water.
Tips:
Brew your tea concentrate in a teapot that can cater for the number of cups you plan to serve. This ensures a perfect tea leaf-to-water ratio. If your pot is the wrong size, it can be easy to overfill or underfill and throw off the ratio.
Tradition calls for multiple serves in each sitting. To keep the tea warm between pours, you can place the teapot back on the kettle or samovar. Just bear in mind that if you leave the brewed tea in the pot for too long, it may oversteep, adding a bitter edge to the flavour. If this concerns you, the easy solution is to prepare enough tea for one full service at a time. Emptying the teapot after each round ensures you always enjoy fresh, flavourful tea. Plus, you can always brew a fresh pot when you're ready for more!
-
Brew
Begin by filling the kettle component of the double kettle-teapot or samovar with the water. If you’re using a double kettle-teapot, place the teapot on top of the kettle and then move the entire device onto the stove. If you’re using a samovar, place the teapot on top and ignite the samovar. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Note: placing the teapot on the kettle or samovar at this stage will warm up the teapot, helping the tea steep at the right temperature.
Tip: When filling your kettle or samovar, you'll need enough water to create the tea concentrate, dilute it to the right strength for serving, and (if you’ll be enjoying multiple cups) keep the kettle or samovar and the teapot hot between serves. We recommend filling the kettle or samovar to its maximum capacity as this ensures you have enough water. If using a kettle, take care not to overfill it to an unsafe level as this puts you at risk of burning yourself or others.
Once the water reaches a rolling boil, prepare the tea concentrate by adding the tea to the teapot followed by the freshly boiled water from your kettle or samovar. You’ll want to fill ¾ of the teapot with the boiled water. Return the kettle to its heat source then cover the teapot and place it back on the kettle or samovar to keep the tea warm while it steeps. If using a stovetop double kettle-teapot, reduce the heat so it can gently simmer. Steep for 5 – 10 min. Hint: the longer you steep, the stronger your brew will be.
Pour a test cup to ensure the colour is just right. The concentrate should have a reddish amber colour when brewed well. If not, return it to the pot. This will serve the dual purpose of warming up the cup while mixing and blending the colour and flavour of the tea inside the teapot. If the colour is light, allow it to steep for a little longer.
-
Serve
Whether you’re sharing with loved ones or enjoying a solo tea adventure, it’s best to pour the brew through a mesh strainer to prevent the tea leaves from flowing out.
To serve the traditional way, pour the tea concentrate from the teapot into each cup and adjust to the desired strength by topping up with hot water from the kettle or samovar. When pouring, follow tradition and leave some space at the top of each cup. This makes them easier to manoeuvre and is particularly important when using traditional tulip cups as it allows you to hold the rim without burning your fingers.
Use the following guide to help you determine how much to fill with the tea concentrate vs the hot water:
Light Brew Medium Brew Strong Brew Super Strong Brew Tea Concentrate ¼ ½ ⅔ Full Hot Water ¾ ½ ⅓ None If you’re planning to enjoy multiple cups in the one sitting, always place the teapot back on the kettle or samovar between serves to keep the tea warm.
Serve pure or add a touch of indulgence with your favourite sweetener. For a taste of tradition, sweeten your tea with sugar cubes or nabat (a rock sugar candy stick). If you want to create an authentic cultural experience, sip through a sugar cube held between your teeth or stir with the nabat. Of course, you can use your favourite sweetener if you prefer!
-
Drink
If you are drinking from a tulip cup, hold it by the rim using your thumb and index finger so that you do not burn yourself. The genius of the tulip cup design is that it is shaped in the shape of a tulip, with an outward-curving mouth to protect the drinker’s hands from the heat.
Before taking your first sip, savour the aroma of the tea in the teacup to experience greater depths of flavour. The tea may be piping hot, so make your first sip small and take it slow, testing the temperature of the brew so that you don’t burn yourself. If you’re not in a rush, you can also let your brew cool for a while as you savour its comforting aroma, building up anticipation for that first satisfying sip.
No double kettle-teapot or samovar? No problem! Brew your Persian Cardamom tea to perfection with the double-teapot method.
Tea Tools
All the specialised utensils you’ll need for the traditional brew:
-
Measure
Persian Cardamom tea is typically made as a tea concentrate and then diluted with hot water to taste. Depending on how strong you like your brew, you will need 1 – 1 ½ tsp of tea per 100 ml (3.5 fl oz) of water to prepare your concentrate. For best results, use freshly drawn ambient filtered water.
Tips:
Brew your tea concentrate in a teapot that can cater for the number of cups you plan to serve. This ensures a perfect tea leaf-to-water ratio. If your pot is the wrong size, it can be easy to overfill or underfill and throw off the ratio.
Tradition calls for multiple serves in each sitting. Tea warmers and tea cosies are the easiest way to keep the tea warm between pours. Just bear in mind that if you leave the brewed tea in the pot for too long, it may oversteep, adding a bitter edge to the flavour. If this concerns you, the easy solution is to prepare enough tea for one full service at a time. Emptying the teapot after each round ensures you always enjoy fresh, flavourful tea. Just brew up a fresh batch each time you're ready for more!
-
Boil
Boil the water in your kettle to 100°C (212°F).
Tip: When filling your kettle, you will need enough water to warm the teapot, create the tea concentrate, and dilute each cup to the desired strength when you serve. As a general guide, we recommend pouring 1.5 times the volume of your teapot into the kettle.
-
Pre-Warm
Warm the teapots by rinsing them with a small amount of freshly boiled water from your kettle. To do this, fill one teapot with enough water to cover the bottom. Let it stand for about 1 min, then swirl a few times and empty into the second teapot. To preserve the warmth of your brewed tea for longer, use this water to rinse and heat each teacup. Simply empty the water you used to warm your teapots into each cup before discarding.
Notes:
The additional teapot is optional and depends entirely on the aesthetic you’re going for in your tea space. You can easily dilute your tea by pouring straight from the kettle into each cup.
While it’s an optional step, pre-warming is worth the effort as it helps the water maintain its ideal temperature, drawing out the best flavours and aromas from your leaves. Even after pouring, it keeps your tea nice and hot, ensuring a consistent brew. Pre-warmed cups even contribute to the sipping experience, cradling your tea at the ideal drinking temperature for longer, allowing you to savour the aromatic magic in every delicious sip.
-
Brew
Prepare the tea concentrate by adding the tea to the teapot followed by the boiled water from your kettle. You’ll want to fill ¾ of the teapot with the boiled water. Stir to ensure the leaves are fully immersed and evenly distributed, promoting a balanced infusion. Cover and place the teapot on a tea warmer to keep it warm while it steeps. Alternatively, you can slip a tea cosy over your teapot to preserve the warmth. Steep for 5 – 10 min. The longer you steep, the stronger your brew will be.
Pour a test cup to ensure the colour is just right. The concentrate should have a dark reddish amber colour when brewed well. If it’s not quite there, return it to the pot. This will serve the dual purpose of further warming up the cup while mixing and blending the colour and flavour of the tea. If the colour is light, allow it to steep for a little longer.
If using the second teapot, fill it with boiled water from the kettle. This is the water you’ll use to dilute your tea concentrate in each cup when serving.
-
Serve
Whether you’re sharing with others or enjoying a solo tea adventure, it’s best to pour the brew through a mesh strainer to prevent the tea leaves from flowing out.
To serve, pour the tea concentrate from the teapot into each cup and adjust to the desired strength by topping up with hot water from the second teapot (or the kettle if you chose not to use the additional teapot). When pouring, follow tradition by leaving a little space at the top of each cup. This makes them easier to manoeuvre and is especially important when using traditional tulip cups as it allows you to hold the rim without burning yourself.
Use the following guide to help you determine how much to fill with the tea concentrate vs the hot water:
Light Brew Medium Brew Strong Brew Super Strong Brew Tea Concentrate ¼ ½ ⅔ Full Hot Water ¾ ½ ⅓ None If you’re planning to enjoy multiple cups in the one sitting, always place the teapot back on the tea warmer between serves to keep the tea warm. If you’re working with a tea cosy, leave it on at all times so your brew stays toasty.
Serve pure or jazz it up with your favourite sweetener. For a taste of tradition, sweeten your tea with sugar cubes or nabat (a rock sugar candy stick). If you want a cultural accurate experience, sip through a sugar cube held between your teeth or stir with the nabat. Of course, you can use your favourite sweetener if you prefer!
-
Drink
If you are drinking from a tulip cup, hold it by the rim using your thumb and index finger so that you do not burn yourself. The genius of the tulip cup design is that it is shaped in the shape of a tulip, with an outward-curving mouth to protect the drinker’s hands from the heat.
Before taking your first sip, savour the aroma of the tea in the teacup to experience greater depths of flavour. The tea may be piping hot, so make your first sip small and take it slow, testing the temperature of the brew so that you don’t burn yourself. If you’re not in a rush, you can also let your brew cool for a while as you savour its comforting aroma, building up anticipation for that first satisfying sip.
This Brewing Guide details how we recommend brewing your tea. But taste is a very personal thing, and we all have our own quirks and preferences. So feel free to experiment and have fun finding your tea brewing groove! You can then refer back to this Brewing Guide anytime you want a refresher on the best tools to use, the ideal brewing method, the magic leaf-to-water ratio, and the perfect water temperature and brewing time.
Steamy days got you drowsy? Iced tea has the refreshing energy you need!
How to Brew the Chilled-Out Way
To enjoy Persian Cardamom iced, simply follow the Quick Brew steps, adjusting the leaf-to-water ratio based on the volume of your cup and how strong you like your tea (see tip below). After straining, add any sweetener you desire, then cool the tea uncovered so it reaches room temperature faster. Serve chilled over ice.
Want to make a big batch of tea to fill a glass jug or pitcher?
In this case, it’ll be easier to prepare a tea concentrate first. Follow the Quick Brew steps, adding the amount of leaf you’ll need for the total volume of your jug or pitcher. However, instead of adding the full amount of water, only add 1 cup (250 ml / 8.5 fl oz) per litre (34 fl oz) of iced tea you’re making. After straining the concentrate into your vessel and adding your desired sweetener, top it up with the remaining volume of ambient water. No need to cool your tea – the ambient water will naturally do the job for you! Add your favourite garnishes and serve chilled.
Tips
Hate the gritty aftertaste of poorly blended sweetener? Incorporating your sweetener while the brew is hot ensures it blends flawlessly, enriching your tea with a charming sweetness that harmonises perfectly and never overpowers the other flavours.
Ice is infamous for diluting drinks, but you can harness its power to water things down by brewing your tea a little stronger than you otherwise would. To get it just right, try doubling the tea leaf quantity provided under Quick Brew. You many need to experiment a little to find your perfect balance.
Craving a rich flavour explosion? Ditch the Quick Brew and go for the Traditional Brew for an iced tea bursting with aroma and depth. Just remember to double the leaves for double the goodness!
This Brewing Guide details how we recommend brewing your tea. But taste is a very personal thing, and we all have our own quirks and preferences. So feel free to experiment and have fun finding your tea brewing groove! You can then refer back to this Brewing Guide anytime you want a refresher on the best tools to use, the ideal brewing method, the magic leaf-to-water ratio, and the perfect water temperature and brewing time.