Tea, a beloved beverage in Azerbaijan, has roots that can be traced back to the Silk Road. The city of Lankaran emerged as a hub for tea cultivation, recognised for its fertile soils and favourable subtropical climate. In Azerbaijan, tea is not just consumed, it is celebrated, with the Azerbaijani tea ceremony being an integral part of its rich culinary culture. Drinking tea before and after meals is a common practice for Azerbaijanis.
Lankaran tea, with its distinct taste and aroma, found its way to popularity not only among the local population, but also beyond Azerbaijan’s borders. It is a vital component of social and ceremonial events, particularly wedding rituals.
Below are the ingredients and recipe to prepare Lankaran tea:
Ingredients
- Dry tea - 15 g
- Boiling water - 300 ml
Preparation
Before brewing the tea in a china teapot, the pot is always rinsed with boiling water. The dry tea is added to the teapot, filled up to one-third with boiling water, wrapped in a towel and left for 5-10 minutes. Then more boiling water is added to the teapot. Among other expressions, this brewed tea is referred to as ‘khoruz guyrughu’, ‘purrangi’ or ‘mekhmeri’ (approximately translated as ‘piglet's tail,’ ‘burgundy,’ and ‘velvety,’ resepectively).
First some of the brew is poured into glasses and then it is topped up with boiling water from a samovar. Azerbaijanis drink tea, usually by sipping, in special pear-shaped glasses called an ‘armudu.’ The shape of these glasses helps keep the tea hot for longer. Before taking the first sip, people often dip a sugar cube into the tea and bite it. This is how the expression ‘tea biting’ (‘dishlama chay’) came into being.
