Neem is a hard tea to pin down, so the simplest way in is to brew it three ways at once and taste them next to each other: a short, gentle steep, a longer bracing one, and a sweetened cup with lime. Line them up and you will quickly find the strength that suits you.
Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for the Neem Three Ways (A Brew-Strength Tasting) recipe. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/recipes/fruit-tea/neem-three-ways-a-brew-strength-tasting/
You'll need
- 3 tea bags of Tropical Sun Neem
- 450ml freshly boiled water (100C), 150ml per cup
- 1 teaspoon honey, for the third cup
- A slice of lime, optional
- Three small cups
Method
- Cup one, light: steep a bag in 150ml boiled water for 2 minutes, then lift it out. This is the gentlest, grassiest pour.
- Cup two, full: steep a bag in 150ml boiled water for 4 minutes for the classic, more bracing bitterness.
- Cup three, sweetened: steep a bag for 4 minutes, then stir in the honey and add a slice of lime to round it off.
- Line the three cups up from light to sweetened and taste in order, noting how the bitterness softens.
- Pick your favourite brew strength as your everyday cup.
- Chase the bitterness in the second cup with a small piece of good dark chocolate between sips; the pairing is traditional in parts of South Asia.
Want the background, not just the brew?
Brewed with: Tropical Sun Neem, 20 Tea Bags 30g
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