Ingredients
The tea
- 4 tablespoonsloose black tea
- a strong Ceylon or Assam blend
- 500 mlwater, for the upper pot
- 1.5 litreswater, for the lower pot
Sometimes added
- 4cardamom pods, crushed
- a small piece of cinnamon
- a few dried lime pieces
To serve
- sugar, plenty of it
- istikan glasses
- small saucers
- small spoons
Directions
- Steam heat holds it just below boiling. Hot water from the lower pot dilutes it.
- Fill the lower pot with water. Set it on the heat and bring it to a boil. Put the tea leaves in the upper pot. Add the cardamom if you are using it.
- Pour a little boiling water over the leaves. Just enough to wet them thoroughly. Swirl it and pour it straight off. Brewing it takes real patience.
- Add the five hundred millilitres to the upper pot. Set it on top of the lower pot. Let it sit over the rising steam. Give it at least twenty minutes.
- Put one or two spoons of sugar in the glass. Some drinkers take considerably more.
- Set the glass down on its saucer. Pour the dark brew into the glass first. Fill it about a third of the way.
- Adjust the proportion to the drinker. Serving it is done immediately. Make it fresh the next morning.
Technique
- Two pots stack together: the lower holds plain boiling water and the upper the tea leaves, so the steam keeps the tea just below boiling and it never sits over direct flame, extracting strength without the harshness of boiled tea.
- The concentrated brew is poured into the glass first and topped up with hot water from the lower pot, so each drinker’s strength is adjusted individually; thigeel is strong and khafeef is weak.
- Sugar goes in the bottom of the glass and the tea is poured over it, often without stirring, so the first sips are less sweet than the last; that gradient is deliberate and expected.
Substitutions
- A teapot set over a pan of simmering water reproduces the double kettle.
- Any strong black Ceylon or Assam blend works, used as loose leaf rather than bags.
Variations
- Cardamom is the most common addition, with cinnamon and dried lime used by some.
- Many households make it entirely plain.
- The strength is adjusted glass by glass to each drinker.
History
Strong dark tea brewed in a stacked double kettle and drunk from small istikan glasses over sugar.
Frequently asked questions
What is Iraqi tea?
Iraqi tea is a drink from Iraq: strong sweet tea in istikan glasses, brewed dark over samovar. Strong dark tea brewed in a stacked double kettle and drunk from small istikan glasses over sugar.
How long does Iraqi tea take to make?
Iraqi tea takes 5 minutes of preparation and 25 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 6. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Iraqi tea?
Yes, within limits. A teapot set over a pan of simmering water reproduces the double kettle. Any strong black Ceylon or Assam blend works, used as loose leaf rather than bags.
What is the most important thing to get right in Iraqi tea?
Two pots stack together: the lower holds plain boiling water and the upper the tea leaves, so the steam keeps the tea just below boiling and it never sits over direct flame, extracting strength without the harshness of boiled tea.
