How to boil Tea / How to cook Tea

Boiling tea is a traditional way of enjoying tea that can fully unleash the aroma and flavor of tea leaves.

I. Preparation Tools
The basic tools required for boiling tea include:

Tea Boiling Stove: It is recommended to use an electric ceramic stove because it is easy to use, safe, and can adjust the temperature as needed.

Tea Boiling Pot: A glass tea boiling pot is an ideal choice because it allows you to visually observe changes in the tea soup. Additionally, clay pots, iron pots, etc., can also be selected based on personal preference.

Gongdao Cup and Tea Cups: The gongdao cup is used to distribute tea, ensuring a consistent concentration in each cup; while the tea cups are used for tasting the tea.

Auxiliary Tools: These include a tea scoop (for holding tea leaves), a tea spoon (for scooping tea), a tea strainer (for filtering tea soup), a tea tray (for placing tea sets), and a tea towel (for cleaning).

II. Types of Tea Suitable for Boiling
Not all types of tea are suitable for boiling. Here are some common types of tea that are suitable for boiling:

Black Tea: Such as Pu’er tea and Liubao tea. After a long fermentation and aging process, the tea soup becomes bright red and tastes mellow with a unique aged aroma when boiled.

Aged White Tea: White tea that has been stored for 3 years or more. After boiling, the tea soup turns deep yellow, and the aged white tea exhibits a rich and mellow flavor.

Pu’er Tea: Including raw and ripe tea, it is resistant to multiple infusions and tastes mellow and moist with a sweet aftertaste when boiled.

Oolong Tea: Such as Tie Guan Yin and Da Hong Pao. These are semi-fermented teas that produce a golden-colored tea soup with a strong aroma and mellow taste when boiled.

Black Tea: Like Zhengshan Xiaozhong and Dianhong, they undergo fermentation to achieve a mellow taste, and boiling can better release their aroma and flavor.

Please note that newly produced tea is generally not recommended for boiling because its internal qualities are not yet stable, which can easily result in a bitter taste.

III. Amount of Tea to Use
The amount of tea used depends on the capacity of the boiling pot, the type of tea, and personal taste. Here are some common references for the amount of tea to use:

Based on Pot Capacity: Generally, for a 500ml boiling pot, the amount of tea used is around 3-5 grams. However, the specific amount should be adjusted based on the tea type and personal taste.

Based on Tea Type: For example, for aged white tea, 2-2.5 grams of dry tea is suitable for 300-400ml of water; while Pu’er tea or black tea may require a slightly higher amount.

Based on Personal Taste: Those who prefer strong tea can increase the amount used; while those who like it lighter can reduce the amount.

IV. Steps
The steps for boiling tea generally include the following:

Prepare Tools: Clean and arrange the necessary tea sets neatly.

Boil Water: Add an appropriate amount of cold water to the boiling pot and heat it to a boil on the tea stove. The water temperature should be maintained at around 90-95℃.

Add Tea: Once the water boils, add the predetermined amount of tea into the boiling pot. A tea scoop and spoon can be used to assist in this process.

Boil Tea: Continue heating after adding the tea. The boiling time varies depending on the tea type and personal taste, typically ranging from 2-5 minutes. Observe the color and aroma changes of the tea soup to determine if the boiling is complete.

Pour Tea: Once the tea is boiled, pour it into the gongdao cup and then distribute it into tea cups for tasting. Try to drain the tea soup from the boiling pot to avoid wastage.

Taste Tea: Pick up the tea cup, smell the aroma first, and then taste the tea, enjoying the pleasure and relaxation brought by boiling tea.

Please note that during the tea boiling process, it is important to constantly monitor the heat and changes in the tea soup to avoid over-boiling, which can lead to a bitter taste. Additionally, the method and steps for boiling tea can be adjusted according to different tea types and personal tastes to achieve the best tea tasting experience.