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Ingredients
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Tea & Brewing
Optional Additions
Equipment
Method
Tea & Brewing
- 1
Heat water
Bring fresh, filtered water to just under a boil. For Darjeeling green tea, heat to about 175–185°F (80–85°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, remove the kettle from heat when small bubbles form and steam begins to rise.
- 2
Pre-warm teapot/cup
Pour a small amount of the hot water into the teapot or cup, swirl to warm the vessel, then discard that water. This stabilizes temperature for brewing.
- 3
- 4
Steep
Pour the 175–185°F water over the leaves. Steep for 2 to 3 minutes. Start checking at 2 minutes: green Darjeeling can turn bitter if over-steeped. For a more delicate, floral cup, err toward 2 minutes; for fuller body, go to 3 minutes.
- 5
Optional Additions
- 6
- 7
Add lemon or mint (optional)
For a bright citrus note, add a thin slice or wedge of lemon to the cup. For a herbal lift, bruise 2–3 mint leaves lightly and add to the cup or teapot before pouring the tea.
- 8
Make iced Darjeeling green (optional)
To make iced tea, brew double-strength tea (use 4 tsp leaves for 16 oz water) and steep for the same 2–3 minutes. Immediately pour the brewed tea over a cup of ice (about 1 cup) to cool rapidly and preserve the delicate aromatics. Add sweetener before chilling if desired, then garnish with lemon or mint.
Equipment
- 9
Use the kettle to heat water to the correct temperature, the timer to control steep time, and a teapot or infuser/strainer to hold and remove the leaves. Pre-warming the vessel and promptly removing leaves after steeping are the most important steps to avoid bitterness and achieve a clean, floral Darjeeling green cup.