Lebanese Spiced Tea (Printable)
A fragrant black tea infused with warming Middle Eastern spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger. Ready in 15 minutes, serves 4.
# What You'll Need:
→ Tea & Water
01 - 4 cups water
02 - 2 tablespoons loose black tea or 4 black tea bags
→ Spices
03 - 1 cinnamon stick
04 - 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
05 - 4 whole cloves
06 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
07 - 1 star anise
→ Sweetener & Garnish
08 - 2-3 tablespoons sugar or honey, to taste
09 - Lemon slices
# How-to Steps:
01 - Combine water, cinnamon stick, crushed cardamom pods, cloves, ginger slices, and star anise in a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.
02 - Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes to allow spices to fully infuse the water with their aromatic flavors.
03 - Add loose black tea or tea bags to the simmering spice mixture. Continue simmering for 3 minutes, or up to 5 minutes for a stronger brew.
04 - Remove from heat and strain the tea through a fine mesh strainer into a teapot or heatproof jug. Discard spent spices and tea leaves.
05 - Stir in sugar or honey according to taste preference. Pour into teacups and garnish with fresh lemon slices if desired.
# Expert Pointers:
01 -
- The warmth stays with you long after the cup is empty, perfect for those gray afternoons when you need something to hold onto
- It transforms five minutes of waiting into an aromatic experience that makes your whole kitchen feel like a sanctuary
02 -
- The longer you simmer the spices, the stronger the flavor becomes, but 5 minutes is usually that perfect sweet spot
- Cardamom pods can be expensive, so I buy them in bulk and store them in the freezer where they last forever
03 -
- Crush your cardamom just before adding it to the pot, the oils start fading as soon as the pods are broken
- If making this for a crowd, double the spices but not necessarily the tea, you want that bold spice flavor to come through