Lemon Ginger Tea Recipe

Tea base

1. 1

   Prepare ginger

   Peel the fresh ginger with the edge of a spoon or a peeler and thinly slice or julienne to yield approximately 2 tablespoons (about 15–20 g). Thinner slices release more flavor.

2. 2

   Boil water with ginger

   Bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil in a small saucepan. Add the prepared ginger slices to the boiling water, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes for a pronounced ginger flavor (5–7 minutes for milder).

3. 3

   Steep tea bag

   After simmering the ginger, remove the saucepan from heat and add the black or green tea bag. Let it steep for 2–4 minutes depending on desired strength (black: ~3–4 min, green: ~2–3 min). Avoid oversteeping green tea to prevent bitterness.

4. 4

   Finish with lemon and honey

   Remove and discard the tea bag and strain out the ginger slices by pouring the infusion through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof pitcher or teapot. Stir in the juice of 1 lemon and 2 teaspoons of honey until dissolved. Add a 1/4 teaspoon pinch of salt if using to enhance brightness.

5. 5

   Serve

   Taste and adjust sweetness or lemon as desired. Pour the tea into cups over lemon slices and garnish with fresh mint leaves if using. Serve hot, or chill in the refrigerator for 30–60 minutes and serve over ice for iced lemon-ginger tea.

6. 6

   Storage

   Refrigerate any leftover tea in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop if serving hot, or dilute with a little water if concentrate has thickened.