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Trà chanh
Trà chanh: Hanoi's iced green tea with fresh lime and sugar, drunk on tiny plastic stools
On warm evenings the pavement beside St Joseph's Cathedral in Hanoi fills with rows of tiny plastic stools, and nearly everyone is holding a tall glass of trà chanh, cheap green tea poured over ice with a squeeze of lime and plenty of sugar, sipped with a saucer of sunflower seeds while the city's scooters roar past. It is sharp, sweet and very refreshing. Chef's tip: brew the tea in water just off the boil, around 80 °C; boiling water makes green tea bitter.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp green tea leavesor 4 tea bags
- 3 ¼ cups hot waterabout 80 °C
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 2 limes1 juiced, 1 sliced
- 14 oz ice cubes
- 8 mint leaves (optional)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Pour 3 ¼ cups hot water over 2 tbsp green tea leaves in a jug and steep for 3 minutes, no longer. Common mistake: using boiling water or steeping too long, which makes the tea harsh and bitter.
3 minStep 2: Strain, then stir in 4 tbsp sugar until it has dissolved. Leave to cool for a few minutes.
3 minStep 3: Squeeze in the juice of one of the 2 limes and taste; add more sugar or lime as you like.
Step 4: Fill glasses with 14 oz ice cubes and a slice of the remaining lime, pour over the tea and top with 8 mint leaves. Serve at once, while very cold.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 55 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does trà chanh take?
- About 10 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of limes?
- Lemon, same amount.
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