Mint tea is very easy to make as it consists of just two ingredients, mint leaf and hot water. A small amount can be used for a very large family. It can be served hot for a smoothing and warming drink in winters, or chilled for a refreshing drink.
Here are a few ways of making the mint tea
1. Boil the water
Get a cup of clean water, put it in a kettle or a pot and put it on a stove. You can also microwave it, depending on the way that you feel is suitable and conducive for you. In order to conserve water, energy and money, only boil the amount of water that you need to use in preparing your tea.
2. Wash and tear the mint leaves
Get the mint leaves, wash them thoroughly in order to prevent sand or dust from entering into your mixture. When you are done washing the leaves, tear up the leaves to help release aromas and also to give your tea a very strong flavor. There are a lot of mint leaves such as spearmint, peppermint and chocolate mint you can actually use, depending on your choice or that of your family.
3. Prepare the leaves
You can put the mint leaves into a tea ball, a teapot designed for loose leaf tea, into a coffee filter, in a French press, or straight into a mug.
4. Pour the boiling water over the leaves
There are some tea bags that are made based on the temperature of the water, hence there are different temperatures for different leaves. As for mint, it has a very hard and solid texture, so if you pour a lot of water or even boiling water on the leaves, instead of breaking up, they will release essential nutrients.
5. Steep the tea
Mint tea should be steeped for 5 to 10 minutes. But if you want a strong taste, you can steep it for a long time. Once your tea reaches the strength of the flavor you like, you can either smell or taste and then remove the leaves. Use a strainer if desired to remove the leaves, if you are not using a tea ball or a special pot. In case you are using a French press, you can push the plunger down when the tea reaches the desired strength.
Image courtesy of: qigohealth.com.
