How to brew mate tea

For several decades, the unique South American mate drink has occupied an honorable place in the hearts and shelves of tea lovers. This herbal infusion has a unique pleasant taste, tonic effect, and also contains a number of vitamins and biologically active substances that strengthen and support the body. Around the brewing of such tea, there is a whole ritual that has not only cultural roots, but also practical meaning. Read more on how to brew mate.

Specific cookware

By tradition, mate is brewed and drunk in individual vessels - calabash. The Indians always carried their teapot with them in order to be able to awaken forces and stimulate the body in long transitions through mountains and deserts, during agricultural work, and possibly even during tribal battles.

Calabash is made from gourd gourd - a small fruit in the shape of a pot. At home, the pumpkin is simply cleaned and dried. Now that the production of calabash has acquired industrial proportions, and the tradition of drinking mate has spread throughout the world, the vessels are burned in furnaces and decorated in every way.

You can find calabash in metal rims and "cup holders", with engraving, notches, all kinds of Native American drawings and ornaments. Sometimes there are cases for vessels, knitted from alpaca wool. Such a device creates an additional thermos effect and allows you to keep the heat of the drink longer.

You can also meet atypical dishes - vessels for mate made of wood and clay. You can make a choice to your taste: strictly follow the tradition or brew and drink mate in a convenient dish. However, it is generally accepted that it is a pumpkin mug that reveals all the subtleties of the aroma of tea.

A special straw, bombilla, is necessarily attached to calabash. This is a tube made of wood or metal, its upper end is made narrow for convenience, like a mouthpiece, and a strainer is attached to the bottom. As long as there is a friendly and diplomatic tradition of drinking mate in a circle, silver bombs are considered the most hygienic and representative.

If desired, the mat can be brewed in a classic tea-ware: a French press, an immersion teapot or a teapot.

How to prepare mate pottery

Therefore, the first brewing is done as follows: they pour a hot water over the vessel and allow it to dry. Pour the mate tea leaves up to half and fill them with hot water. Such tea is allowed to stand in a vessel for 5-10 days. Unsweetened infusion does not deteriorate or wander. After this, the liquid is poured, and the vessel is thoroughly washed from plaque and sediment. It is believed that when the mate has eaten into the walls of the calabash, each new tea leaves will better reveal its aroma.

Such dishes are not treated with boiling water and soap. Try not to start your calabash, wash immediately after drinking tea - and then he will give you many servings of a delicious drink.

How to brew mate

One of the main rules that you must adhere to is the temperature of the water. No matter how you prepare the mate, the liquid should not be hotter than 80 degrees.At high temperatures, some mate substances become toxic and can not only irritate the mucous membranes of the digestive system, but even produce a carcinogenic effect. One or two cases will not harm the body, but regular violation of this rule or abuse of the drink may harm its effect, as is the case with any overdoses.

It is optimal to drink warm mate 2-3 times a week. Special fans of tea can enjoy it every day, but do not exceed the amount of 2-3 servings.

So, we brew the mate step by step:

1. Boil water and let it cool to 80 degrees. You can use mineral, spring heated water, for example, from a cooler. It is not necessary to bring it to a boil. The Indians believed in the "life-giving" forces of natural sources.
2. Pour mate powder into calabash. The traditional strong mate is made in proportions of 2/3 of the dry product per calabash. For those who do not like tart hot drinks, it is enough to fill the vessel 1/3.
3. The mug leans on its side, a straw sinks into the formed lumen to the bottom. Next, put the vessel on the bottom and fill it with half hot water (80 °). Tea is allowed to swell and soak in moisture, after which it is added to the top with warm water.
4. After 3-6 minutes you can drink mate tea. Keep in mind that the plant gives its juices gradually, the longer the tea is brewed, the stronger it will become: it may start to bitter, a characteristic obsessively sweet aroma, astringent effect will appear. Such a quantity of infusion is calculated for 5-6 receptions, that is, the same raw material is poured repeatedly with water, and the mate continues to give its healthy juice. They say that each new circle acquires its own unique shade of taste.

Helpful advice: the tea leaves will remain fresh; there is a drink of mate without sweeteners and milk. But you can use additives. Less green raw material is put in such a portion and the cake is quickly discarded after 1-2 brews so that the waste does not ferment or sour.

Mate is usually drunk warm in small sips throughout the day, gradually adding warm or hot water to the drink. You need to understand that the Indians did not know another stimulating and invigorating drink, so they only consumed mate. For many, such a ritual was addictive, like smoking or drinking coffee. Today, sucking is not necessary to “crate” the mate all day. You can brew a portion in a convenient way at the rate of once - the drink will still reveal its aroma and healing properties.

Fragrant mate with additives: how to make a tasty drink

The mate has an interesting and original taste - a sweetish slightly resembling sage or vanilla, with a bitterness, like strong herbal teas, and a light ethereal sourness. A strong mate is somewhat reminiscent of tobacco, and in someone it may even cause a characteristic scratching in the nose. The drink is pleasant in itself and will delight lovers with the richness of its taste. However, such tea can be diversified, making it festive, nutritious and awakening.

Citrus mate
One of the classic recipes for mate is considered infusion with the addition of zest. Traditionally, it is lime, grapefruit or lemon, but you can also add the peel of tangerines, oranges, and suites to your taste. The dried spicy zest is ground and added to the tea leaves. The resulting drink allows you to wake up faster in the morning, warm up and not mope on cloudy days, as well as maintain vigor in an operating mode.

Milk drink
Perfectly reveals the taste of mate and milk. Such tea will be useful in the morning on an empty stomach: it will protect the mucous membranes, have a nourishing effect, and replace breakfast. You can serve dessert mate and afternoon tea, especially children may like it.

For this, dry tea leaves are poured with warmed milk. You can add honey, brown or regular sugar to tea. The taste is very unusual and pleasant.If you wish, you can safely use not cow's, but goat's or sheep’s milk - their special flavor blends perfectly with the aroma of holly.

Relaxing mate
To drink mate at night for normal sleep or to relieve fatigue after a working day, you can add a few leaves of fresh mint or a pinch of dried plants to tea. Also useful are lemon balm, thyme, chamomile, lavender, sage and your other favorite herbs.

Fruit tea
For lovers of exotic dessert mixes, there is an option with the addition of dried fruits or candied candied fruits. Feijoa, guava, mango, pineapple and even green varieties of melon are best suited for mate.

Tips

Spices with mate is better not to combine. The drink contains a large amount of active substances and a specific flavor.

Store the mate in tea tins or other tightly sealed containers, not allowing the powder to damp. Damaged grass should be thrown away to avoid toxic effects on the body.

An overdose of mate can lead to nausea, cramps, headache, confusion, and other signs of intoxication. Mate does not cause hallucinations and is not used as a psychostimulant.

Try a new one and share your experience with loved ones, because life is full of vivid impressions.

Video: how to cook the right mate