Lychee Tea Recipe
Refresh your afternoon with this floral and sweet Lychee Tea. Fast-chilled jasmine green tea muddled with juicy lychees and a hint of mint creates the perfect bakery-style iced beverage.
Equipment
- Pitcher
- Muddler
Ingredients
- 1 can Lychees (or 20 pieces fresh lychee)
- 8 grams Jasmine tea
- 1 liter Water
- 1 batch Ice cubes
- 12 Mint leaves
Instructions
Brew the jasmine tea, then cool it fast
- Heat the water, then let it settle to 175ºF (80ºC) before adding the 8 grams of Jasmine green tea. Steep for exactly 3 minutes. The tea should smell intensely floral and look pale golden, not deep green or brown.
- Strain the tea and cool it quickly so it stays clear. Pour it into a wide bowl or pitcher so it releases heat fast, then set that container into a larger bowl of ice water. Stir for a minute or two until it feels cool to the touch, then set aside.
Prep the fruit and mint
- If you are using fresh lychee, peel and pit it. If you are using canned lychee in syrup, simply open the can and let the fruit drain briefly so it is not dripping everywhere.
- Pluck 12 mint leaves off the stems, then give them a gentle clap between your palms, just enough to wake up their aroma without bruising them into bitterness.
Salt-muddle, ice, and assemble the glasses
- Set out 4 glasses and place 4 pieces of lychee fruit into each one. Add a tiny pinch of sea salt to each glass, then muddle until the lychee looks lightly crushed and glossy, and the smell turns more intense and candy-like.
- Add lychee-infused ice cubes to the 4 glasses, filling them generously so the drink chills the moment you pour.
- Squeeze the juice of one fresh lychee fruit into each glass, or add two tablespoons of lychee juice from the can to sweeten. Pour in the cooled jasmine tea and stir well, scraping the bottom a bit so the muddled fruit and syrup swirl through the drink.
- Garnish each glass with 3 mint leaves and serve right away, while the top still smells like mint and jasmine and the bottom is sweet with fruit.
Notes
Temperature Control: Keep water at 175°F/80°C and steep for exactly 3 minutes. Hotter water or longer steeping pulls out tannins that make the tea bitter.
Flash Chilling: Cool the tea rapidly over an ice bath in a wide container. This stops the tea from turning cloudy and dull at room temperature.
Storage Tip: Store the tea base and fruit separately in the fridge for up to 3 days to prevent the fruit from fermenting prematurely.
Safety Tip: Avoid eating large amounts of unripe fresh lychees on an empty stomach to prevent blood sugar complications.
Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.
Nutrition
Calories: 80kcalCarbohydrates: 20gSodium: 35mgPotassium: 40mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18gVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 5mg
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