Kalmyk tea - composition, benefits and harms. How to brew Kalmyk tea - recipes for cooking with salt and milk. Kalmyk tea recipes: composition and preparation What Kalmyk tea is made of

30.12.2021

Unique in its taste, it has many variations and is considered one of the most unusual drinks in the world. It contains only three main ingredients:, but there are many cooking variations. The ancient drink of nomads does not lose its relevance at the present time, but it is only necessary to take into account the possible harm from the use of such compounds. What is the use of Kalmyk tea, how to prepare it, as well as possible harm, are discussed in the information in this article.

For the first time, references to Kalmyk tea are found in the notes of Tibetan monks. Thanks to the unique combination of simple ingredients, many Asian peoples and tribes have been treated. At the same time, there are many contradictions, because initially the discovery of a tea drink belonged to the Chinese, but it was the nomadic tribes who began to add milk, salt and fat to it. The recipe was modified and improved, even in individual nationalities it was used in a completely different form.

There is also a version that Kalmyk tea was not always called that. If we turn to history, we will find out that this is the traditional tea of the Nogais, the Turkic people in the North Caucasus. Therefore, the answer to the question: What is the difference between Kalmyk tea and Nogai?, is simple - nothing, it is the same drink under the ancient name "ko gai", which, according to one version, is translated from Nogai as "celestial moon". Nice name, isn't it?

It is known that the composition of such tea necessarily included:

Green and black brick tea. It was this combination that provided the drink with unique healing properties. The choice of the slab form of raw materials has quite practical considerations: it was easier to keep tea unchanged during the long transitions that nomads made throughout their lives.
All kinds of steppe herbs were also added to the tea leaves, providing additional medicinal properties to the drink. It is known that it was allowed to collect and use such raw materials only before flowering. This helped to preserve all the benefits and minimize possible harm for allergy sufferers.
Salt, oddly enough, provides a quick thirst quencher and absorption of nutrients. Until now, in some Asian cultures, it is customary to add salt to tea, and not the sugar we are used to.
Milk and fat. Fatty milk of donkeys or camels was used, and melted fat was added separately to the drink. replaces the usual meal, helps to warm up faster and refreshes in the heat. Despite the unusual taste, Kalmyk tea is very healthy and nutritious, so its popularity in Asia is still high.

There are many variations of recipes. You can use cream and high-fat dairy products. In addition, in addition to salt, various spices and spices were added to the mixture, which had a tonic effect on the body. It was believed that such a drink in a matter of minutes would help restore the expended strength, and also cut off vigor and freshness to a tired traveler. It is due to the invigorating effect that it is not recommended to use such tea at night, in addition, the drink has other contraindications.

Harm of Kalmyk tea

To a European who has not been accustomed since childhood, Kalmyk tea may not only taste bad, but also bring real harm. It's all about the combination of ingredients, which in themselves are quite simple and useful, but in combination they are a biologically active mixture that has a strong effect on the body.

In what cases is such a drink harmful:

With individual intolerance to any component of the drink. People with possible allergies to plant substances should be especially careful.
The presence of stones in the kidneys or gallbladder. The active components of the drink can provoke the movement of formations, which does not always lead to favorable consequences.
During pregnancy and lactation, it is not recommended to try such drinks. Mainly, in order not to provoke an atypical reaction of the body, in addition, such a composition can cause an allergic reaction against the background of hormonal changes with a greater degree of probability than in the normal state.

When used by overweight people, it is also worth considering the additional calorie content. Thanks to the addition of oil and dairy products to the composition, a cup of Kalmyk tea contains an impressive supply of calories, therefore, with constant use, such tea can ruin the figure.

Classic cooking recipe

Not all the secrets of making Kalmyk tea have survived to this day, and it is unlikely that anyone has ever written them down. The “adapted” version of the preparation of this drink for modern admirers is quite affordable for brewing at home, so we invite everyone to try to appreciate the taste of the unique nomad tea.

How to make Kalmyk tea:

Pressed tea (about 50 grams), break and pour cold water (200 ml), put on fire.
After the mixture boils, add 800 ml of milk, a teaspoon of salt and 10 black peppercorns.
The liquid should boil well over low heat for about 15 minutes.
After that, it is necessary to remove the container with tea from the stove and add pre-melted butter (40-50 grams) to it.
Infuse the mixture for at least half an hour, after which you can enjoy the unique taste of Kalmyk tea.

An important point: the mixture must be filtered before use, although true Kalmyks prefer to drink it along with tea leaves. Depending on preferences and taste characteristics, you can add bay leaf, chopped nutmeg and even flour fried in a dry frying pan to the drink. Depending on the ingredients used, the beneficial properties of this drink are determined, and the original taste will allow us to re-evaluate the tea we are used to.

The composition of Kalmyk tea is complex and unique. From time immemorial, there have been traditions and secrets of its preparation. Nomadic peoples used not only the tile green and black teas known to us, but also a variety of sedate herbs. That is why there is no single recipe for preparation, and the modern adapted version offers to appreciate the rich taste of such a drink without the use of biologically active substances and components.

A drink based on tea leaves has been known for a long time, but its uniqueness lies in the fact that the most unexpected components can be introduced into the composition. The Kalmyk recipe came to Rus' with the Mongol-Tatars. They managed to get rid of the conquerors, but the tradition of drinking hearty tea remained. It may include spices, fat, bread, cookies and nuts, and for taste after preparation, the drink is seasoned not with sugar, but with salt.

The value of this tea is in its warming effect and high calorie content. At the same time, there may not be a classic tea leaves. In Asia, there is the concept of "eat tea." In the article I will talk about the benefits and harms of the Kalmyk drink, how to brew it correctly at home and what herbs to add.

How did the drink come about?

The recipe for an amazing hearty drink came from the peoples of the East. The Kalmyks call the drink jomba and always add livestock products to it. The recipe has taken root in cold Siberia, the Caucasus and Asia. There are legends about the appearance of the drink.

According to one, the elder and religious figure became very ill. The doctor who arrived prescribed jomba to drink every day. A week later he gained strength, and then fully recovered. According to another legend, the Tibetan lama was puzzled by the restoration of the strength of the monks who had been fasting for a long time. He created a hearty drink with milk and animal fat. Since then, the Kalmyks have fallen in love with jomba and even began to celebrate the tea festival, which is held on the third Saturday of May. In honor of this people, the drink is called.

The benefits of Kalmyk tea for the body

A hearty drink is designed to support the strength of the nomads. Morning reception can keep riders in the saddle for days.

In addition to nutrition, it is also very useful:

helps to strengthen the immune system, prevents the appearance of colds and warms up;
restores strength, relieves fatigue, makes thoughts clear;
promotes an abundant flow of milk during lactation;
relieves gas formation and indigestion, eliminates bloating;
strengthens the heart muscle;
promotes weight loss, as it has a good effect on metabolism.

Kalmyk tea is useful for diabetics, as it normalizes sugar. The composition of the milk drink includes a lot of calcium and fluorine, manganese and vitamins of various groups. It should be drunk to children and the elderly to cheer up. Morning tea promotes proper digestion.

Recipes for making Kalmyk tea

Milk rich drink has many recipes. In different regions, it is prepared in its own way. What is in the house is put into Kalmyk tea. Butter can be replaced with lamb fat, fresh dry leaves, bay leaf with pepper. Different variations of tea have a peculiar taste that is made up of its components. A prerequisite is the use of pressed green leaf in briquettes.

In stores, you can find a tiled pressed version of Kalmyk tea. The tile is broken off, added to the teapot and poured with boiling water.

Classical

Whatever the passions of gourmets, the classics are always in demand. To prepare a traditional drink, you need to perform a few simple manipulations.

In a thin-walled pan, you need to put a piece of tea leaf briquette equal to a teaspoon.
Two hundred milliliters of cold water is poured into the container, brought to heat and boiled for 10 minutes.
200 milliliters of preheated milk is added to the pan.
A pinch of salt, nutmeg, pepper is placed on the entire volume of the liquid. With spices, you need to brew for another five minutes.
Half a teaspoon of butter is placed in the drink. After that, the pan is closed and put in heat for 20 minutes.
The drink is poured into mugs, previously filtered.

Kalmyks make a drink with mare's milk and add mutton fat to it.

Such a drink warms up well and saves from colds, similarly to tea with and.

in Tatar

Rich in taste, Tatar tea is no less popular than Kalmyk tea.

One hundred milliliters of water is poured into the pan and put on fire.
Two small spoons of tea are placed in boiling water.
One hundred milliliters of preheated milk is poured in.
On low heat, the mixture warms up for another seven minutes.
At the end of the process, a pinch of salt and butter are added.

Before serving, tea is filtered. The recipe is simpler and more affordable than Kalmyk, but also very tasty.

With tea leaves

To make a drink with tea leaves, you need to use loose tea:

For eight minutes, the tea leaves must be boiled over low heat.
Hot milk is poured into the pan, a pinch of salt and nutmeg are placed. In this composition, the drink is brewed for another five minutes.
Keep the tea covered for 10 minutes.

Strained drink is poured into mussels and served at the table.

Black and leaf tea can be put into tea. This will give the drink a piquancy and rich taste.

Meat

Nomadic peoples cannot imagine their life without meat products. They even prefer to drink tea with the addition of lamb ribs. The taste is spicy and unusual.

Half a kilogram of ribs is poured with three liters of cold water and boiled for an hour.
After the meat becomes soft, it is taken out and a 200-gram block of green tea is placed in the broth.
It is brewed over low heat for another ten minutes.
Two liters of heated milk are poured into the pan, a pinch of salt and pepper are added.
Tea is boiled for another ten minutes, and then the same amount is infused.

Strained drink with a small amount of nutmeg is poured into cups. Hot ribs with boiled potatoes are served separately.

with spices

The abundance of spices allows you to make the drink fragrant and warming. Tea with spices is great for meat dishes. It is important to add the spice in time so that it has time to open up and give its flavor to the drink.

For Kalmyk tea, oregano and marjoram, basil and rosemary are suitable, and suneli hops will add a sharp note. What a particular drink will consist of depends on the person who prepares it. Spices are added to the boiling mixture two minutes before removing from heat. Then the tea is infused for ten minutes and must be filtered before serving.

With green leaves

There is not much vegetation in the northern regions and the steppe. The person is deficient in vitamins. To fill this gap, feather onions or dill are added to the drink.

Traditionally brewed Kalmyk tea is infused for 10 minutes.

During this time, several onion feathers and three sprigs of dill are washed and finely chopped. Greens should not be boiled, so they are poured into strained tea directly into cups. After a minute in a hot drink, the sharpness of the onion disappears.

With nutmeg

Having prepared a classic recipe, housewives add nutmeg or cloves to tea to add astringency and aroma. Tea is infused and gets a piquant taste. Two pinches of nuts and four cloves are enough for a liter of liquid. Before pouring into cups, the drink is filtered. But if a clove gets into it, it will not spoil the look and taste.

With butter and bay leaf

The smell of laurel is difficult to confuse with the aroma of other spices. Leaves are often added to broths and second courses. Kalmyks prefer to use lavrushka in tea. The leaves can add some extra bitterness to the drink, but they don't release the flavor very quickly. In order not to spoil the taste of the drink, you need to put a bay leaf five minutes before the end of boiling. Another 10 minutes of infusion will give the tea a unique taste and aroma.

Honey-bread variant

Traditional Kalmyk tea is salty, but there is an exception to the rule. When cooking, nothing is added to the pan. Before removing from heat, honey is added to the drink to taste. While the tea is infused, it diverges, giving off its sweetness and aroma. Such a drink is drunk only from wide bowls or soup cups. Pieces of bread, homemade cakes, cookies are added to tea.

In Asia, spoons are always placed on the table. It is convenient to “eat” tea from a bowl and enjoy its taste.

For lactation

In order for the child and mother to be healthy, the drink is prepared in a lightweight form. Green tea has a lot of caffeine, so the amount of brewing is reduced.

Not a full briquette of tea leaves is placed in the pan, but 40 grams less.
Do not add spices so as not to cause an allergic reaction in the child.
It is not recommended to add salt so that swelling does not appear.
Use skimmed milk instead of cream. Also reduce the amount of oil.

With sweet spices

Tea is able to replace a full meal, why can't it become a good dessert. Sweet spices give drinks a special taste. Cinnamon, anise or cardamom can be added to a drink prepared according to the classic recipe. Nobody knows the exact proportions. They come to light through experimentation and addictions. You need to start with one pinch per liter of liquid. If the taste does not seem very saturated, then the dosage is increased.

For children

Kalmyks do not allow children under the age of five to drink jomba. With frequent colds and a decrease in immunity, they prepare a special tea.

Half the tea leaves are put in 200 milliliters of water than for an adult drink.
After a ten-minute boil, boiled milk of medium fat content is added.
Spices are not added to the drink, and salt is replaced by sweeteners in the form of sugar, jam, honey.
Sweet jomba is infused for 10 minutes, after which it is filtered and poured into cups.

Do not put butter or fat in children's tea. For colds, add in very small quantities. It is recommended to drink tea hot.

The peoples of Asia, who from time immemorial led a nomadic life, invented many hearty rich dishes, among them tea. Instead of oil, melted fat tail fat is often put in the drink. It cleanses the lungs and cures serious chronic diseases. During the period of illness, Shokan Ualikhanov, a Kazakh scientist, was treated to such a drink, which extended his life.

Julia Vern 12 161 0

Kalmyk tea basically has ordinary green tea, but all the other ingredients and their combination give the drink a completely unusual taste. This tea can be prepared not only according to the classical recipe, but also improvised, creating variations of the traditional drink. This tea came to us from Southeast Asia, from nomadic peoples who used the drink not only to quench their thirst, but also as a source of calories and a warming agent.

Around jomba, domba, Mongolian tea - these are other names for Kalmyk tea, there are many legends. China or Tibet is considered his homeland, then he became known to the Mongolian nomads, and from there he migrated to the territory of Rus'.

The benefits of tea are described by a Kalmyk legend, according to which the drink healed Tsonghava, a religious figure. The doctor recommended him to take the “divine” drink daily on an empty stomach: after 7 days, the reformer was healed and ordered the believers to prepare the same tea, later called jomba by the Kalmyks.

In Kalmykia, the ancient holiday of Zul is celebrated annually, which is actually a national birthday, its obligatory rituals are the tea ceremony and offerings to deities.

Traditions of making Kalmyk tea

There may be some differences in the composition of tea according to the traditions of a particular nation, but in general, the ingredients and preparation features are the same in different territories. Pressed green tea is best for Kalmyk tea. Classic drink recipe:

a tablespoon of tea;
a glass of boiling water and milk;
a pinch of salt;
spices: black pepper, bay leaf, nutmeg;
a little butter (half a teaspoon).

The drink should be strong: tea is usually poured with cold water, after boiling, simmer for 10 minutes over low heat. After adding milk, spices, salt, Kalmyk tea should be boiled for another 5 minutes and seasoned with oil. Tea is ready after 20 minutes of infusion.

Different types of Kalmyk tea

Although regular loose leaf tea can be used to make a drink, specialty tea varieties are best. For example, there are 3 in 1 options that include milk or cream and salt. In some types of factory product, black tea is added to green.

Kalmyk tea is presented on the market in different versions, these can be:

briquettes, including tea and herbs weighing from 300 g to 2.5 kg;
tiles with pressed tea;
Kalmyk tea in bags;
instant version of jomba with milk and salt.

Of particular interest is tiled pressed tea. It is produced from coarsened leaves and shoots, harvested in the fall after the end of the main harvest, and elements of spring pruning of the tea bush are also used for Kalmyk tea briquettes. These materials do not ferment or wither, so the drink has a tart and slightly bitter taste, as well as a beautiful yellowish-red hue.

Kalmyk slab tea should be brewed in a special way. In fact, it must be boiled and then insisted. The result of preparation will be an unusually strong drink with a dense, rich taste and spicy aroma.

Variations of Kalmyk tea components

A special version of jomba is a drink with lamb fat instead of butter. The taste of tea will vary greatly depending on the type of milk used in it. In the classic version, this is camel or mare's milk. But in the modern world, goat or cow milk is more often used to make jomba, in extreme cases, cream or milk powder can be put in the drink.

Among the peoples of Asia, the southern regions of Siberia, the Caucasus, it is customary to add steppe herbs to tea.

The composition of the herbs may vary, but bergenia is considered an obligatory component of the collection. Plants are harvested before the flowering period, so tea with them is considered hypoallergenic.

The richness of the composition makes Kalmyk tea healing and nutritious. Of course, like other foods, this drink is not suitable for everyone, and there can be both benefit and harm from its use.

Indications and restrictions for the use of Kalmyk tea

The benefits of Kalmyk tea are undoubted; it is not for nothing that legends are made about the drink. The drink invigorates, warms, saturates, its components activate many body functions. The positive effects of Kalmyk tea include:

strengthening action,
normalization of metabolism,
beneficial effect on digestion,
despite the high calorie content of tea, the beneficial substances that make up its composition contribute to weight loss and cholesterol levels by activating metabolic processes;
increased lactation in nursing mothers;
cheerfulness, increased efficiency, stimulation of mental activity;
detoxifying effect;
saturation with vitamins, minerals and nutrients;
help in the fight against colds, severe coughs;
strengthening immunity, prevention of infectious diseases.

Kalmyk tea in rare cases can be harmful in the presence of health problems. There are few contraindications to the use of the drink:

allergy or intolerance to tea components;
cholelithiasis, since the constituent components of jomba can provoke biliary colic;
pregnancy.

When using herbs in the composition of the drink, it should be remembered that they all have a certain effect on the body. In the presence of chronic diseases, restrictions on the use of certain plant components should be taken into account: this also applies to herbs and spices.

Recipes for creating various variations of jomba

It is possible to properly brew tea, traditional for the inhabitants of Kalmykia, not only according to the classic recipe, but also by changing some of the ingredients and nuances of preparation. Everyone has their own preferences, so changes in the recipe can improve the taste of the drink.

Different recipes for Kalmyk tea help you choose your drink. It is this tea - with your favorite taste, that will bring the maximum benefit from its use.

Kalmyk tea, the recipe of which includes a mixture of black and green teas, is an option preferred by many lovers of the invigorating effect of the drink. The following ingredients are added to it:

large-leaf black, pressed or leaf green tea in a tablespoon,
1 liter of milk
salt to taste
black pepper and allspice to taste,
2 cloves,
a little ground nutmeg
30 g butter.

Tea leaves are added to milk, spices are poured after boiling and kept on a minimum heat for 15 minutes. Before adding the oil, the mixture is filtered and consumed warm.

Kalmyk tea can be prepared on the basis of only black tea. The original recipe, in addition to the usual ingredients such as milk and butter, also includes wheat flour. Such a drink is more like a soup that can satisfy hunger than a drinking product in the usual sense.

Ingredients for Kalmyk tea with flour:

100 g tiled black tea,
one and a half liters of water and milk,
100 g butter
3 tablespoons flour
a few peppercorns,
2 bay leaves,
one and a half teaspoons of salt.

It is not difficult to brew such tea: 100 g of slab tea should be crushed into water and brought to a boil, after 10 minutes pour milk and continue preparing the drink for another 5 minutes. You need to make sure that the tea is brewed on low heat.

The flour is fried to a golden hue and poured together with spices at the end of cooking. The product must be infused for another 15 minutes, and it can be consumed.

There is a variation of Kalmyk tea in Adyghe style. The drink is radically different from the usual jomba, because instead of tea, horse sorrel is added to it. The plant is boiled for about an hour, then the broth is infused and filtered. On the basis of such a “brewing”, a drink with milk and butter is prepared. This option is also salted and peppered, you can add dried cilantro.

Some people prefer to prepare a drink based on Ivan tea. The plant in the amount of 100 g is brewed on a supporting fire for 40 minutes. After straining, boiled milk is poured in - a third of the volume of the broth. After heating to 70°C add oil, salt, ground pepper. Give the drink a little brew and pour into cups.

The classic version of Kalmyk tea is prepared without sugar. But some prefer to add a small amount of this ingredient to the drink: in this case, you can experiment with spices - put cinnamon or cardamom. The main thing is that the drink should be to your taste, then it will bring much more benefits.

Amazing salty and spicy tea is drunk in Kalmykia and Buryatia.

Can you drink salted tea? A strange question, they will tell you in Central Asia, what else to drink? For us, this is such a combination of exotic tastes, and for many, the most delicious tea is Kalmyk tea.

That is, Kalmyk is only one of its names, but in general this tea is called both Mongolian and Kyrgyz, and also domba or dzhomba.
This tea with milk, salty and often spicy, flavored with butter, is common in the Caucasus, Asia, and southern Siberia.

What is Kalmyk tea?

This tea is the drink of nomads. Most likely, it spread from the Mongols, who, having received tea from the Chinese, began to prepare the drink in their own way. Another version says that the ancestor of Kalmyk tea came to the nomads from Tibet. Be that as it may, Kalmyk tea came to Rus' from the Golden Horde.

Classical Kalmyk tea is made from pressed green tea.
Simply because the pressed form has always been more convenient than loose for nomads. But the taste of this pressed tea is special, different from ordinary green tea. So those who got used to it once remain faithful for a long time. Although with ordinary leaf tea, an original drink is also obtained.

The second ingredient in Kalmyk tea is milk. It will suit anyone: cow, mare, camel, sheep, goat ...
It is best to use a mare or camel like the ancient nomads.

The third essential ingredient is salt.

They also put black pepper, nutmeg and bay leaf. And further - piece of butter. However, it can be replaced lamb fat.

The classic way of preparing Kalmyk tea is also interesting - it was boiled and even boiled down by a third, or even half, and then also insisted.
The result was an interesting fragrant, unusual and unusually invigorating (as a result of such a long preparation an extremely strong tea was obtained) warming drink, one cup of which satisfies hunger for a long time. The perfect drink for those who spend the whole day in the saddle.

healing drink
This tea is healing, which is confirmed by the Kalmyk legend about a smart doctor and one religious reformer who was seriously ill. The doctor advised him to drink a cup of tea on an empty stomach for a week, calling the drink divine. The patient did everything exactly and recovered.
Since then, the Zul holiday, one of the main holidays among the Kalmyks, the day when they all become a year older ( the fact is that Kalmyks do not have a birthday, and everyone celebrates the new year of life on the same day).

A legend is a legend, and Kalmyk tea is a really healthy drink.
Firstly, it supports forces well, energizes.
And it is also useful for colds, helps to lose weight and get rid of a hangover.

A simple recipe for Kalmyk tea
1 tbsp green tea
1 cup boiling water
1 glass of milk
Black pepper, nutmeg, bay leaf
salt
½ tsp butter

Pour green tea with cold water, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Then add hot milk, salt and spices and cook for another 5 minutes. Put the oil, close the lid and let it brew for 20 minutes.

Other Kalmyk tea recipes():

1. "Jomba"
For 3 liters of water we take 200-300 g of green tea, 2 liters of cream, butter - 50 g, salt - 2 teaspoons, black pepper - 5-6 peas, nutmeg or bay leaf.

Crush the briquette, pour the resulting powder with cold water, put on fire and cook until boiling, then reduce the heat and cook for about 20 minutes, removing the tea twigs that appear on the surface. Without removing the tea from heat, add warm cream to it and cook for another 5 or 10 minutes. Then add oil, black pepper, salt and let the tea brew in a sealed container for 10-15 minutes. Bay leaf (nutmeg) is added to taste, after which tea is poured into cups.

2.Tatar tea
Pressed tea (30-35g), milk (100g), water (100g), butter (10g) and salt to taste. Dip the tea briquette into boiling water and immediately pour in the milk. Boil over low heat, stirring, for 5 - 6 minutes, then salt and add oil.

3. Kalmyk tea
Crushed tea briquette in the amount of 2 tablespoons, 100 ml of water, 100 ml of milk, one teaspoon of butter, salt. Pour tea into boiling water, pour in milk. Boil, stirring continuously, 5 minutes. Add salt. Pour into cups or bowls, add a piece of oil to each serving.

4.Kalmyk tea "Khursitsya"
Crushed tea briquette (3 tablespoons), milk (2 tablespoons), melted lard half a teaspoon, the same amount of flour, bay leaf, nutmeg. Pour tea into a saucepan and fill it with cold water, bring to a boil, pour in milk, bring to a boil again and filter through a fine sieve. Fry the flour in lard until brown and dilute it with water, then mix with tea and add bay leaf and nutmeg.

5. Kalmyk tea with milk
Green pressed tea (40 g), a glass of milk, a glass of water, cloves (1 pc), ground cinnamon - on the tip of a knife, melted butter (25 g), salt to taste. Pour crushed tea into boiling water and cook on low heat for five minutes. Pour hot boiled milk, add salt, spices. Cook for another 10 minutes, strain, add oil and bring to a boil again.

6. Kalmyk meat tea (Makhta qya)
To prepare this unusual tea, you will need about half a kilo of fresh lamb ribs, a briquette of green tea weighing 200-300 grams, 3 liters of water, 2 liters of milk, 2 teaspoons of salt, bay leaf, or nutmeg and black peppercorns (5-6 pieces).

Pour the ribs with cold water, add salt and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Then we reduce the heat and cook for 40-50 minutes, after which we take out the ribs, and add the previously bored tea briquette to the resulting broth. We continue to brew tea for another 5-10 minutes, remove the tea twigs that have appeared on the surface and pour in the milk. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, add black pepper, remove from heat and leave in a closed saucepan for 10 minutes. Add bay leaf or nutmeg to taste, then pour meat tea into bowls. Ribs can be served with a potato side dish, decorating the dish with herbs.

As can be seen from the recipes, the preparation of meat tea differs from other Kalmyk tea recipes, but it is this tea that is closest in composition to the drink that was originally prepared in the East.

Over time, the recipe for making Kalmyk tea has undergone some changes: initially, instead of butter added to this drink mutton fat.
Today, in many Asian villages, guests are greeted with meat Kalmyk tea. In times of famine, meat tea served the inhabitants of the steppes as the first, second, and third course at the same time.

According to statistics, in everyday life, people drink tea more often than other drinks. In terms of the number of uses, this product is perhaps in the first place. The most popular are black and green teas. But there are drinks that have been undeservedly forgotten over time. The famous Kalmyk tea can rightly be attributed to them. Its composition, amazing properties and unusual cooking methods deserve a separate discussion.

A bit of history

For the first time, the product that is commonly called Kalmyk tea today appeared in China. True, some scientists are sure that Tibet is his homeland. The locals cooked it according to special recipes. Later, the secret of making this drink became known to the Mongolian nomads. And already from them they learned about this product in Rus'. Today Kalmyks consider it their national drink. Many legends are associated with it. For example, they say that with the help of this tea in the old days, one healer healed the famous religious figure Tsonghava. He recommended that the patient drink it every day on an empty stomach. As a result, a week later the great philosopher was completely healthy. After such a magical healing, the preacher ordered all believers to prepare this wonderful drink. The locals began to call it "jomba".

Today in Kalmykia there is even a national holiday "Zul". It is celebrated by the entire population of the country. On this day, it is customary to prepare Kalmyk tea every year and, in accordance with ancient rituals, make offerings to the gods. Over the years, this has become a real tradition that almost all residents honor and follow it.

Beneficial tea drinking

For many years, scientists have conducted a number of studies, as a result of which they concluded that Kalmyk tea is not just a nutritious exotic drink, but also a wonderful remedy. It turns out that this product has a lot of useful properties:

Due to the tannins and catechins contained in green tea, it helps to rejuvenate the skin.
It leads to rapid weight loss due to the acceleration of the metabolic process.
Such a drink is useful for young mothers. After its frequent use in lactating women, the quality of breast milk improves. It is saturated with energy and all kinds of vitamins, which over time has a positive effect on the health of the child.
The drink is able to relieve fatigue, which allows the human brain to work long and fruitfully.
This complex product increases vitality by stimulating the nervous system. At the same time, it acts quite gently, without causing excessive excitement.
Strengthens immunity.

Some even argue that with the help of such tea, you can quickly and without any side effects remove a hangover.

Brewing rules

The technology of making jomba among the Kalmyks is a real ritual, which is comparable in complexity to the Chinese tea ceremony. The drink must not only be prepared correctly, but also be able to serve it accordingly. It is believed that every woman must know how to brew Kalmyk tea. So she will be able to confirm her ability and willingness to manage the household. There are several important features in the preparation of ancient national tea:

Simplified, the technology for preparing a drink is as follows:

You need to put the required amount of tea in a saucepan, pour it with water and put it on a slow fire. After boiling, cook for 15 minutes.
Boil milk separately. The foam that immediately forms on the surface must be removed.
Add milk to tea and slowly heat the mixture, bringing it to a boil.
Remove the pot from the heat and wait for the tea leaves to settle.
Add spices.

After that, tea is poured into bowls and served at the table.

Simplified version

Recently, Kalmyk tea bags have appeared in Russian stores. It is produced by several companies. Most often on sale you can find the products of Partner-T LLC from Krasnodar. This is a 3 in 1 instant drink. It is a powder that contains only three main components:

Green and black tea extract.
Salt.
Dry cream substitute.

In terms of composition, it is already clear that this product only approximately resembles the national tea of the Kalmyks. Nevertheless, some consumers find it quite interesting and tasty. In fact, it resembles a fatty and very salty milk soup. It, of course, lacks the spices that must be present in such a product. But they, in principle, can be added after brewing. Although even with a full range of seasonings, this mixture cannot replace real tea. First, instead of whole milk and butter, a cream substitute is used here. Perhaps, in terms of chemical indicators, it is equivalent to natural products. But the taste of this component is completely different. Secondly, instead of ordinary tea, an extract was taken. Thirdly, the original drink usually requires a long brew. Only then will he be able to acquire the desired taste and aroma. An instant product will never be able to repeat it exactly.

Composition of the product

What should real Kalmyk tea actually contain? The composition of the drink may be different depending on the recipe used to prepare it. Each hostess has his own. Women of Kalmykia have been learning how to make tea since childhood. Having received mastery lessons from their mother or grandmother, they pass on the secrets to their daughters. The composition of the national drink includes several mandatory ingredients:

Tea (most often green, but may also be mixed with black).
Milk (mare, but sometimes cow).
Salt.
Butter (or lamb fat).
Water.

In addition, flour is sometimes used to create the desired consistency of the finished product. In addition, various spices are used to give a special taste:

ground pepper;
nutmeg;
cardamom;
cinnamon;
dried cilantro.

Every family has its own original recipe. It is passed down from parents to children from generation to generation. It is carefully guarded and kept as a family treasure.

Classic recipe

For example, consider the classic version of how to prepare Kalmyk tea. To make this ancient drink from modern foods, you only need a little:

pressed brick tea, milk (at least 3.5 percent fat), salt, water and mutton fat.

The technology of the process is simple and clear:

For work, a kettle was previously used. Today it can be replaced by a deep pan.
Break off a piece of pressed tea, put it in a pot, add salt and pour water over everything.
Put the container on the fire and gradually bring its contents to a boil. In this case, the flame should not be very strong.
Before boiling, the liquid must be saturated with oxygen. This operation is called "suicide". To do this, the hostess must scoop up water with a ladle, raise it high above the pot, and then pour it back in a thin stream. The procedure should be repeated at least thirty times.
Pour milk in a ratio of 3:1 with water. The mixture should thicken.
Enter lamb fat.

After 5 minutes, the jomba will be completely ready. It remains only to pour it into a bowl.

"Hursitz"

How else can you make delicious Kalmyk tea? The preparation of this national product is a long but interesting process. There are a huge number of various recipes, each of which is good in its own way. Take, for example, "Khursits". This is a thick Kalmyk tea with the addition of various spices and flour. To prepare it, you need to take:

3 tablespoons of milk and pressed tea leaves, water, ½ teaspoon of flour and ghee, as well as nutmeg and bay leaf.

Tea preparation method:

Pour the tea leaves into a saucepan, add water and slowly bring to a boil. After that, the liquid can be filtered.
Add milk and heat the mixture again without boiling.
Separately, melt the butter in a frying pan and lightly fry the sifted flour in it.
Pour the mixture into a saucepan and stir well.
Add your choice of spices to taste.

The drink is thick, aromatic and very high-calorie. It is not surprising that the Kalmyks use this tea not to quench their thirst, but as a main product.

Adyghe tea

Circassians prepare Kalmyk tea in their own way. Any resident of this republic knows how to brew such a drink step by step. You must first prepare the following ingredients:

4 sprigs of horse sorrel;
water;
milk,;
salt;
50-100 g butter;
ground black pepper.

To prepare this drink, a similar technique is used:

First, the sorrel branches should be washed well, put them in a saucepan and pour water over them.
Put the container on the fire, bring its contents to a boil and cook for at least an hour. Gradually, the liquid will acquire a rich dark color.
Let the broth brew under the lid for 15 minutes.
Strain the chilled liquid or simply remove all the branches from it with a slotted spoon.
Pour milk in a ratio of 1: 3 to tea leaves and bring it to a boil as well.
Season with salt and then add oil and pepper.

Before use, the finished product should stand a little. In the old days, such tea was prepared at night in order to eat it in the morning along with fragrant national pastries (slits, halyuzh or guubat).