It is impossible to determine exactly in what century the Mongols first tasted the tea they bought from the Chinese. It is only known that the drink was extremely popular with the representatives of this people and gained immense popularity. This is not surprising – a nomadic life requires good health and considerable strength, and Mongolian tea is one of the drinks that can completely replace one of the meals.
The Mongols traditionally use brick or tiled green tea, which is broken off from the briquette and ground before being consumed. When preparing tea, coarser leaves with twigs are selected, a slightly different composition of the drink itself is associated with this – it contains more caffeine and theophylline, which means that the tonic effect of the drink is stronger.
However, one should not forget that tea in Mongolia does not grow, and therefore they brew the one that they manage to buy. An alternative to tea leaves is often berry leaves, which are harvested in early spring. Badan take only last year, dried brown sheets are crushed into dust and packed in small bags.
The nomads’ diet lacks plant foods and vitamins; this deficiency is compensated by Mongolian tea to this day. The benefits of the drink are obvious: its composition is rich in vitamins C and P, which are responsible for hematopoiesis and immunity. Since nomads traditionally drink exclusively green tea, only unfermented leaves are used for its preparation, which have undergone three processing stages – rolling, drying and pressing.
Pressed brick tea belongs to the category “P” teas, consisting of coarse short leaves, or “S” – tea leaves, which are extremely rich in composition.
You can buy and prepare Mongolian tea in Moscow, but it is wiser for residents of the regions to order it on the Internet.
Relatively speaking, there are three types of Mongolian tea:
– green tea prepared according to a traditional recipe;
– tea from the body;
“King tea.”
Badan tea is not often on sale, but if you happen to buy it, remember that badan must “breathe”, so it is packed only in thin paper bags. Good material is sold in the form of leaves, you need to grind it yourself. If a powder is offered, chances are it contains impurities of cheap black tea. A good berry leaf has a characteristic tart woody smell.
Khaan tea is more common; it is sold in sachets or by weight. In most cases, this is already a product adapted to the taste of the European consumer, with the addition of pepper, cream, and sometimes sugar. Real Khaan tea needs to be prepared on your own, just like the traditional drink of nomads.
Traditional Mongolian tea can vary greatly in taste and properties depending on the area where it is prepared. To prepare ordinary Mongolian tea, in addition to the tea leaves themselves, milk must be added to the boiler with boiling water: mare, goat or sheep. The liquid is seasoned with flour. Options are also possible here, flour is used:
– rye,
– barley,
– wheat.
Small pellets of flour and butter can also be added, which are thrown directly into the bowl.
Properly prepared Mongolian tea should have an oily film on the surface. Mongolians put butter or ghee, as well as lamb fat in their favorite drink. Sugar is not added to such tea, but salt and spices (bay leaves, cloves, pepper in a pot) are a must!
They drink traditional Mongolian tea even today, although salt is almost never used, and oils are used very little
For a European, this drink will seem unusual, moreover, people with weak stomachs are unlikely to be able to drink it. However, Mongolian tea can diversify the palate and enrich the culinary experience.