CHINESE TEA

     What do I have to do with Chinese Tea?  "When in Rome be a Roman" & "When in Rome do as a Roman do." Living in Malaysia - a food haven with multicultural reflections, the region is open to Chinese Culture in its unique form.  And here I got the chance of tasting Chinese Tea. While dining in Chinese Restaurants, they serve their unique tasting Chinese Teas.  I was literally fancied by the Tea sets and the Tea making equipment that long back I collected a few items along with a huge Antique Dragon-Turtle Tea Pot big enough to brew Chinese Tea for a crowd.
    Well, I am not a tea person, but still, I love to drink these Chinese Teas when dining out.  Especially I love the Jasmine & Rose flavoured Chinese Teas prepared with dried flowers and Tea Leaves. Mildly flavoured and rejuvenating to the senses.
     Tea has a history of its own. In China, drinking tea is mostly a cultural thing, with the majority of people drink tea throughout the day. Chinese Teas can be traced back all the way to the Tang Dynasty and is believed to have been first discovered in 2737 BCE, by the legendary founder of herbology, Shen Nong. He contributed to the development of Chinese medicine with his extensive knowledge of herbs.
     In Chinese Culture, Tea was considered as an Elixir in ancient China & one of the 7 necessities of life. There are 5 basic categories of teas in China - White, Green, Oolong, Black and Post-fermented (Pu’erh Tea). Chinese Tea has become a part of Chinese Culture, where the tea is drunk more frequently for healthy living than to quench the thirst.

CHINESE TEA

CHINESE TEA

Different types of Chinese Tea:

White Tea - White Tea is made from steeping the dried immature leaves of the Camilla Sinensis Tea Bush. White tea is frequently consumed for its presumed health benefits as an anti-ageing and promotes healthy and smooth skin.
Green Tea - Green Teas are made from leaves of Camilla Sinensis Tea Bush and are put through a very short fermentation process.
Oolong Tea - Oolong Teas are made by using a unique process of withering the leaves of Camilla Sinensis Tea Bush and using a special drying and oxidation process. Like other Chinese Teas, it has widely accepted health benefits.
Black Tea - Black Tea leaves are put through the oxidation similar to several other types of tea, but it goes through the process longer and therefore the teas are much darker.
Post-fermented/Pu’erh Tea - Post-fermented (e.g. Pu'erh) Teas are dark variety teas that are made from leaves that have gone through a unique process that exposes the freshly picked leaves to humidity and oxygen for an extended period, even longer than that of black teas. Puerh Tea is highly regarded in traditional Chinese medicine for its wide range of health benefits.

Health Benefits of Chinese Tea:

     Chinese Teas have been consumed by people in China and all over the world in centuries. While some people drink the tea for enjoyment, others drink it for one or more of the healthy benefits that come from drinking one or more cups of hot or even cold tea every day. Tea has both sweet and bitter flavours and possesses cooling properties. Tea helps to refresh the mind, enhance alertness and boost concentration. Tea can also promote body fluid production, quench thirst, clear heat and phlegm, promotes digestion and urination. It is good to drink Tea unsweetened or only lightly sweetened.

Anti-inflammatory - Chinese Teas are loaded with Polyphenols which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which help to reduce the risk of heart diseases.  
Weight Loss - Tea, when consumed hot, is believed to be the best weight loss agent.
Increased Muscle Endurance - The antioxidants in Green Tea help to fuel your energy and helps your body burn fat. It also helps in increasing the stamina.
Cancer Protection - The high quantity of antioxidants have shown to be effective at warding off certain forms of Cancers like Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Ovarian Cancer and Colon Cancer.
Fights Free Radicals - The antioxidants found inside Chinese Teas helps to fight off the free radicals that are responsible for several health disorders like Cancer, Alzheimer's, Heart Diseases etc.,.
Defends Bone Loss - Green Teas helps to improve bone strength and bone density.
Regulates Blood Sugar levels - Several compounds found in Tea helps the body to metabolize sugars in a better way, which is excellent for people with type 2 Diabetes.  
Boost Brain Power - Chinese Tea is believed to help ward off the effects of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Dementia.  
Healthy Teeth and Gums - Teas contain a naturally occurring Fluoride which helps to prevent plaque build-up which helps promote healthy gums and teeth.
Anti-ageing Benefits -  The compounds in Chinese Tea are believed to slow down the ageing process.

HOW TO BREW CHINESE TEA

CHINESE TEA

     Few basic knowledge of Tea Brewing, a decent quality Tea & a bit of patience is all you need for a good Chinese Tea, any Tea as a matter of fact. The best Tea in the world can taste horrible if prepared incorrectly, but even an inexpensive Tea can be more satisfying if prepared in the best possible way.  So remember these 7 little facts before brewing any type of Teas.

• The quality of the Tea
• The quality of the Water
• Correct measurement
• Correct steeping temperature
• Correct steeping time
• Allowing the tea-leaf to expand fully
• Separating the leaf from the liquid at the end of the steeping process

TEA

CHINESE TEA

     Use the best tea that is available to you. Scoop the loose tea leaves from the tea canister. Measure the correct amount of tea & add it into the Teapot. This step is called "The black dragon enters the palace."

WATER:

• When making any tea, try to use fresh & good quality water.  Water quality reflects greatly on the taste of the Tea.
• Always start with fresh water out of the tap, not water that has been previously boiled or has been sitting around. 
• First, use a small amount of heated water to warm the Tea Pot and Tea Cups before beginning to make your tea.
• To prepare the Chinese Tea, heat water in a kettle. 

CORRECT MEASUREMENT:

     The amount of Tea and Water will vary on the type of tea, its quality, and the size of the teapot, but generally, 1 Teaspoon of tea leaves for every six ounces/3/4 Cup of water will do.

RIGHT WATER TEMPERATURE FOR TEA:

CHINESE TEA