With vanilla or lemon, with or without milk, rooibos has conquered the tables of Europe. To keep its taste and virtues, this red tea is prepared with art and knowledge. Water, leaves and a touch of magic for a red drink with a roasted hazelnut flavor. The details of the secrets of African traditions to prepare rooibos, exclusively for you in this article.
The red infusion that revolutionizes the coffee break
The fashion for teas and infusions never stops. Today, they are present at every table, even at Christmas. But traditional teas, especially black tea, are rich in theine (a type of caffeine). This can sometimes have an exciting effect.
Red tea, whose real name is rooibos, changes the game. It is a leaf infusion, but the similarity with green or black tea ends there. Rooibos brings a new flavor to the snack cup. More fruity, the fragrance of the red drink from the Cape seduces the whole family.
Rich in antioxidants and low in tannins, rooibos is a wonderful gift from nature. Like green tea, its health benefits are numerous. According to naturopaths, rooibos tea is the preparation to offer as a gift.
Water, the secret of African red tea
Like all herbal drinks, rooibos tea requires careful preparation. Details such as the temperature of the water, the quality of the leaves or the number of spoons are essential.
Hot, but not scalding water for your red tea
The list of medicinal properties of rooibos is immense. But to keep its benefits, the drink must be brewed properly. Water that is too hot burns the antioxidants, while water that is too cold prevents the flavors from exploding.
To prepare a quality rooibos, spring water is superior to mineral water. The latter could affect the final taste of the product because of its minerals. The water must then be brought to a temperature of 100°C and poured into a preheated cup. Indeed, rooibos expresses its full potential at 90° C. However, a cold cup brings the simmering water to a temperature of 82 to 85° C, which is too low.
Sun-fermented rooibos leaves for more flavor
The quality of the rooibos determines the depth of its flavor. The less the plant has been manipulated, the more flavorful it is.
Nature offers the Cederberg mountains a generous amount of sunshine. The leaves of the shrub can ferment naturally here. The leaves turn the symbolic reddish color of the drink. It is also during the fermentation process that their sweet taste develops.
Rooibos only grows in this arid region of South Africa. Therefore, the product is naturally organic.
A mastered infusion for a gourmet red tea
Brewing is the most important moment for many herbal drinks. For rooibos infusions, opinions are divided.
Traditionally, the infusion times are :
- 10 minutes for red rooibos ;
- 8 minutes for green rooibos;
- 5 minutes for flavored rooibos (with spices or fruits).
If you want to steep longer for stronger flavors, that's not a problem. Rooibos contains no theine or caffeine, so you won't get an exciting effect. The plant is also low in tannins. Therefore, even a prolonged infusion does not bring the bitterness of some teas.
Multiple recipes for an organic rooibos with amazing flavors
In the West, the organic drink is adorned with new flavors with the addition of fruits and spices. In Africa, the classic dosage is one teaspoon of rooibos for one cup of hot water. Elsewhere, it has become fashionable to add extra spoonfuls of herbs.
The recipes that get the most positive reviews are:
- vanilla rooibos;
- rooibos with citrus peel (orange and lemon in particular),
- rooibos with ginger.
The plants multiply the health benefits of theinfusion. An endless list of additional ingredients exists.
Red rooibos, the new spice for gourmets
Rooibos is not only an infusion. Because of its gourmet color, it is becoming a popular ingredient for cooking. At Christmas in particular, it is used in the composition of cakes and cookies.
Some star chefs also add a few spoonfuls of rooibos in their sauce to obtain nice colored reflections. This is the case in duck with orange flavored with rooibos. In desserts, rooibos is a presentation detail. A very nice gift to make to the sharpened palates.
The culinary art takes advantage of the properties of rooibos to diversify. With the family, it is an opportunity to taste new flavors.