Russian Fireweed Tea (Ivan Tea)
Learn how to pick, ferment, dry, and brew fireweed tea! This aromatic tea is popular in Russia and is referred to as Ivan tea/Ivan chai.
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Servings: 1 serving
Calories: 5kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- fireweed leaves
- firweed flowers
Instructions
- Strip the healthy leaves from the plant and pluck flowers, if you'd like to add them to the tea. Give everything a good rinse to remove dust, insects, and debris.
- Roll leaves between your hands to crush and bruise them. This is done to release their flavor. Add leaves to a bowl or a mason jar, then cover with lid. Place in a sunny window for 2 days to ferment. Stir leaves a few times a day to allow for air circulation. If you find any leaves with mold, discard them.
- Next, steam the leaves in a steaming basket for 5 to 10 minutes. This step is supposed to enhance the flavor, but is not absolutely necessary.
- Place leaves on dehydrator trays and select the lowest setting, 95°F (setting for herbs and spices). Dry the leaves completely then bring to room temperature, before storing in a mason jar. The longer the tea sits the more the flavor will develop.
Notes
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- Be sure to check the bottom of the leaves for insect eggs. Keep only the healthy leaves and discard the rest.
- Another common practice is to roll each leaf into a tight roll. Adding them to a mason jar will keep them from unrolling. While fermenting, the leaves' color will go from a beautiful green to a darker shade, then almost black.
- If you don't have a dehydrator, dry the leaves outside in the sun or in the oven for around 20 minutes at 300°F.
- To brew a cup of fireweed tea, add a few tablespoons of dried tea to a small teapot and cover with a few cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Strain into a cup and add sweetener and cream, or enjoy as is.
- Store fireweed tea in a sealed jar in the pantry.
- Fireweed tea gets better as it matures, so if you don't like the flavor at first, give it a few months and try it again.
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Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 5kcal | Sodium: 10mg
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