When heavy rain is falling outside and the weather is pleasant, enjoying a hot cup of tea is hard to beat. Especially during the rainy season, aromatic milk tea with ginger and cardamom is appreciated. However, homemade drinks often do not achieve the richness and aroma found in strong tea from street kiosks, sometimes turning out either bland or too bitter.
Perhaps the reason lies in the preparation method. For perfect milk tea, not only quality tea leaves and milk are important, but also the timing of adding the milk. If you are unsure whether to add milk at the beginning or after the water boils, here is a simple and correct way to prepare it.
During the autumn and winter period, instead of regular tea, you can use additions such as ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, or a little black pepper. Lightly grinding these spices allows their aroma and flavor to distribute evenly in the tea, significantly improving its taste.
To create the perfect tea, start by pouring the required amount of water into a pot and bringing it to a boil. Then add the crushed ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, or other spices of your choice. Let them simmer for some time so that the entire aroma of the spices is well released into the water. It is important not to overcook this stage for more than 2-3 minutes, otherwise, the tea may become bitter. If you are using sugar, you can add it at this stage, which will help form a good base flavor.
Next comes the most important step in making tea. After the water with spices has completely boiled, you need to add the milk. Thus, it is preferable to first boil the water with spices rather than adding milk at the very beginning. Even vendors at street stalls prefer to first boil the water with the tea infusion and ginger for a long time. This approach ensures better release of the aroma and flavor of the spices into the drink. After adding the milk, reduce the heat and let the tea steep for some time.
After adding the milk, add the tea leaves and brew the tea to your desired strength. If you like very strong tea, you can keep it warm for a little longer, but excessive boiling can make the taste astringent or bitter. For a strong ginger tea in rainy weather, it is best to first boil the ginger with the water, as this promotes better penetration of its aroma into the drink.
When the tea is ready, turn off the stove and do not strain it immediately; leave the lid closed for about a minute. This will allow the aroma and flavor to remain inside the drink. After that, strain the tea into cups and serve it hot. In rainy weather, it can be accompanied by cookies, buns, or crackers.
If you aim for your tea on a rainy day to be excellent in both taste and aroma, start the process with water and spices. After the spices have fully released their aroma into the water, add the milk, and then add the tea leaves and brew. It is also worth trying a small trick—letting the tea sit under the lid before straining it. This can turn even ordinary homemade tea into a favorite strong drink for the rainy season.
