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Turkish Tea Recipe

Name: Olive Tree Restaurant Bedfords Turkish Tea Recipe
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 3 tbs high-quality Turkish black tea leaves (çay); 1 l water for boiling; 500 ml water for the lower teapot (kettle); 2 tsp granulated sugar; 2 slice lemon slices; 4 to taste tea glasses (small tulip-shaped) or small cups

Inspired by Olive Tree Restaurant Bedford

Time25m

Serves4

Make Turkish Tea Recipe in just 25m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Tea and brewing

3 tbs high-quality Turkish black tea leaves (çay)4 1/4 cup (1 l) water for boiling2 1/8 cup (500 ml) water for the lower teapot (kettle)

Serving and optional additions

2 tsp granulated sugar2 slice lemon slices4 to taste tea glasses (small tulip-shaped) or small cups

Method

Tea and brewing

Prepare water

Fill a medium saucepan or the lower chamber of a çaydanlık (Turkish double teapot) with 500 ml water and bring it to a full rolling boil over medium-high heat.

Warm the upper teapot

Pour about 250 ml of the just-boiled water into the smaller upper teapot (or a heatproof teapot) to warm it. Swirl and pour the warming water back into the lower kettle so both vessels stay hot.

Add tea leaves

Put 3 tablespoons of Turkish black tea leaves into the warmed upper teapot.

Create concentrated brew

Pour roughly 250 ml of boiling water from the lower kettle over the tea leaves in the upper teapot to make a concentrated infusion. Place the upper teapot on top of the lower kettle and reduce the heat to low so the lower kettle stays at a gentle simmer. Let the tea steep undisturbed for 10–15 minutes to develop a strong, dark concentrate.

Maintain hot water

Keep about 250 ml of hot water in the lower kettle so you can dilute the concentrate when serving. Replenish from the stove if needed so both pots remain hot.

Serving and optional additions

Preheat glasses

Warm four tea glasses by rinsing briefly with hot water from the kettle, then pour the water out.

Mix tea to strength

For each glass, ladle 1–2 tablespoons of concentrated tea from the upper teapot, then add 120–150 ml hot water from the lower kettle to reach the desired strength. Typical ratios: 1 tbsp concentrate + 150 ml hot water for weak; 2 tbsp concentrate + 120 ml hot water for medium-strong; or 3 tbsp + 100 ml for very strong.

Sweeten and garnish

If desired, add sugar to taste (recommend 1/2 tsp per glass to start) and stir gently. Serve with optional lemon slices on the side (not traditional with sugar but available for variation).

Keep warm

If not serving immediately, keep the upper teapot over the lower kettle with the heat on low so the concentrate stays hot for later refills.