Russian Fireweed Tea (Ivan Tea)
Learn how to pick, ferment, dry, and brew fireweed tea! This aromatic tea is popular in Russia and is referred to as Ivan tea or chai.
Servings: 1 serving
Calories: 5kcal
Equipment
- 1 bowl
- 1 mason jar
- 1 dehydrator (or use oven)
Ingredients
- fireweed leaves
- fireweed flowers
Instructions
- Strip the healthy leaves from the plant and pluck flowers, if you'd like to add them to the tea. Give everything a good rinse to remove dust, insects, and debris.
- Roll leaves between your hands to crush and bruise them. This is done to release their flavor. Add leaves to a bowl or a mason jar, then cover with lid. Place in a sunny window for 2 days to ferment. Stir leaves a few times a day to allow for air circulation. If you find any leaves with mold, discard them.
- Next, steam the leaves in a steaming basket for 5 to 10 minutes. This step is supposed to enhance the flavor, but is not absolutely necessary.
- Place leaves on dehydrator trays and select the lowest setting, 95°F (setting for herbs and spices). Dry the leaves completely then bring to room temperature, before storing in a mason jar. The longer the tea sits the more the flavor will develop.
Notes
- Be sure to check the bottom of the leaves for insect eggs. Keep only the healthy leaves and discard the rest.
- Another option is to roll the leaves into bundles. During this time, the leaves color will go from a beautiful green to a darker green, almost black.
- If you don't have a dehydrator, dry the leaves outside in the sun, or in the oven for around 20-30 minutes at 325 °F.
- To brew a cup of fireweed tea, add a few tablespoons of dried tea to a small tea pot and cover with a few cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain into cup and serve. If you prefer, you can add sweetener and cream.
- Store fireweed tea in a sealed jar in the pantry.
- Fireweed tea gets better as it matures, so if you don't like the flavor at first, give it a few months and try it again.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 5kcal | Carbohydrates: 0g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g
