Lemon iced tea is a cold beverage prepared by brewing loose tea in water and flavoring with the very refreshing lemon juice and giving a hint of fresh mint leaves. It is a very popular beverage at the cafes and restaurants, and an indispensable accompaniment for the fast food such as burgers, pizzas, etc. I personally love it over the aerated drinks and would always order it with my pizza. In fact I always used to get the ice tea powder available in the market till I tried making it at home. And believe me, homemade is much more refreshing, so much customizable, I have a sweeter tooth so I make it my way and it is so much easy on the pocket.
Loose tea: I have used the regular chai patti to make lemon iced tea. You can also use tea bags but how many, that I am not sure of, as of now. Will work that out and update the post. Well, this ingredient is the trickiest of all the ingredients. You cannot over-do this one otherwise the iced tea turns bitter. I worked the recipe with different quantities of loose tea per glass of lemon iced tea. I found the recipes on the internet give a quantity that leaves an after taste of tea which I didn’t like. So I have used less than 1 teaspoon per glass against the general rule of approx 1 teaspoon. However, you can always adjust the recipe as per your taste and how you can do that has been explained below.
Sugar Syrup: If you have been following my blog, you know this is my favorite sweetener for the cold beverages. The sweetness can be adjusted as per your taste and the syrup can also be substituted for sugar. I have used 3 tbsp sugar syrup per glass of lemon iced tea. You can use 2 tbsp granulated sugar instead. And can adjust the sweetness as per your taste.
Lemon Juice: I have used 1 medium sized lemon per glass. Tangy enough!!
Other ingredients: I always prefer to use chilled water or milk for my cold beverages instead of using ice. But this is an iced tea recipe so we cannot skip the ice.
We have a very interesting and useful recipe for coffee lovers. It is the coffee concentrate. Another local drink which is a must during summers is aam panna.
It can be served to guests (expected ones) with some sandwiches or can be packed for a picnic along with some pinwheel sandwiches and potato chips.
1.This recipe makes 2 glasses of lemon iced tea.
2.In a pan simmer 2 cups of water.
3.Add in 1 and ½ tsp loose tea (chai patti).
4.Switch off the flame. Cover and let the tea brew for 2-7 minutes. This timing is critical. Brew for longer time for a sharper flavor of tea. P.S. Ignore that chopped board please :).
5.Strain it in another pan. Let it come to the room temperature.
6.Add in juice of 2 lemons.
7.Make it sweet with 6 tbsp of sugar syrup or 4 tbsp of sugar.
8.Chill it well.
9.Strain once again.
10.Blend the prepared iced tea. This step is critical. Do not skip it. Initially the iced tea will appear frothy, however the froth will settle down in a couple of minutes.
11.To serve add 3-4 ice cubes in a chilled glass. Add 3-4 washed and torn mint leaves.
Tips:Always serve cold beverages in chilled glass. It makes a difference.
12.Pour lemon iced tea. Serve chilled. Bon appétit!
PREP TIME 30 minutes cooling time
COOK TIME 3-8 minutes
TOTAL TIME 8 minutes + 30 minutes passive time
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