Iced Tea Recipe
Cardamom flavored (unsweetened).
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Ingredients
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Tea base
Finishing / optional
Method
Brew the cardamom tea
- 1
Toast and crush cardamom
In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the whole green cardamom pods for 1–2 minutes, shaking the pan until fragrant and slightly darker. Remove from heat and, once cool enough to handle, lightly crush the pods with the flat side of a knife or a mortar and pestle to crack them and release the seeds.
- 2
- 3
Add tea leaves and steep
Remove the pot from heat, add the 6 tsp black tea leaves (or the equivalent number of tea bags), and cover. Let steep for 4–5 minutes for a brisk unsweetened iced tea (steep longer, up to 6 minutes, if you want stronger flavor).
- 4
Strain
Once steeping time is complete, strain the tea through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a heatproof pitcher to remove tea leaves and cardamom solids. Press gently on the leaves to extract flavor but avoid forcing bitterness.
- 5
Cool to room temperature
Allow the strained tea to cool at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, uncovered, to stop cooking and to let flavors settle.
Chill and serve
- 6
Refrigerate
Place the cooled tea in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour until thoroughly chilled. For quicker service, you can add a generous amount of ice, but chilling first preserves clarity and reduces dilution.
- 7
Prepare glasses
Fill serving glasses with ice cubes (about 3 cups total for 4 servings) and, if using, add a slice of lemon and a mint sprig to each glass.
- 8
Pour and garnish
Pour the chilled cardamom tea over the ice. Taste and adjust: add additional lemon slices or mint to your preference. The tea is intentionally unsweetened; offer sweetener on the side if desired.