Black Tea and Dried Lime Infusion

About this preparation

Two of Iran’s everyday flavors in one small jug. Black tea is the national drink, poured all day long from the teapot on the samovar; dried lime is the sour heart of Persian stews. Together they give a stirred cocktail tannin, tartness and an earthy depth that tastes like an old Tehran teahouse.

This unsweetened infusion is used by the spoonful in Lalehzar, the book’s urbane, Manhattan-style drink named for old Tehran’s boulevard of cafés.

How to make it

1. Crack the dried lime and remove as many seeds as you can.
2. Steep the lime in the hot water, covered, for 10 minutes.
3. Add the tea and steep for another 3 minutes, no longer.
4. Strain through a fine sieve, then a paper coffee filter.
5. Cool quickly, bottle, label with the date, and refrigerate.

Yield and storage

• Makes about 90 ml.
• Best used the day it’s made; keeps up to 3 days refrigerated (provisional).

Tips and troubleshooting

• Too bitter: the tea steeped too long, or lime seeds and pith went in. Keep the tea to 3 minutes.
• Flavor disappears in the drink: increase the tea to 3 g or the lime to ⅓.
• Tea choice: a Persian or Lahijan black tea, or a Ceylon, gives the right clean, bright character. Avoid heavily smoked teas unless you want smoke.

Different concepts of this preparation

1. Tea and dried lime

The recipe above. The house standard.

2. Black lime version

Use black dried lime for a deeper, smokier infusion.

3. Tea, dried lime and cardamom

Add 1 crushed cardamom pod with the lime. Warmer and more aromatic.

4. Bahar narenj tea

Replace the dried lime with 1 teaspoon dried orange blossoms, steeped with the tea for 3 minutes. The Shirazi spring tea.

Allergen note

No common allergens.

Development notes

• Status: draft, not yet taste-tested.
• Test bitterness, seed and pith contribution, and whether the flavor survives dilution.