How to ferment Ivan tea at home. Fermentation of fireweed and other herbs

CYPRUS (Ivan-tea)

THREE WAYS OF IVAN-TEA FERMATION

If a child once, for the first time, tries an unripe fruit (banana, pineapple, persimmon or quince), then later he is unlikely to agree to the offer to taste it again. Even if this fruit is now the most ripe and beautiful.
So is Koporye tea. In order not to be disappointed in this drink, be sure to try to make it yourself, observing all the subtleties of the manual technology of collection, fermentation, drying and storage. Only after that you will be able to compare the true taste and aroma of Koporye tea with the options offered by firms and companies. In the latter, the high price of the goods very often does not correspond to its quality.

Ivan-chai (fireweed, Koporsky tea) is a very tasty, beautiful and healthiest tea on the entire globe!
In terms of its unique chemical composition, Ivan-chai is not inferior to seaweed, and in terms of nutritional value and healing power, it is much superior to it.
In Rus', it was believed that Koporye tea could prevent or cure 90% of all known diseases of that time. The remaining 10% were treated with other plants, honey, tar, mushrooms and roots. The constant intake of Koporye tea is the prevention of benign and malignant tumors, prostatitis; effective remedy for problems with the genitourinary system. In addition, this tea is used to improve blood composition and reduce body intoxication; removal of food and alcohol poisoning; recovery from exhaustion. Also, Koporye tea cicatrizes ulcers of the duodenum and stomach, increases immunity to various respiratory viral infections, strengthens hair roots, normalizes blood pressure, eliminates headaches and prevents early human aging. Many healing effects of Ivan tea are similar to baking soda. And this is no coincidence. After all, fireweed mainly grows on the ashes of peat and forest fires, which is the same alkali as baking soda.

Koporye tea, drunk in the evening before going to bed, can slow down the pulse, reduce blood pressure and lower the temperature of the human body. Such a nocturnal "anabiosis" gives a chance to increase or extend the phase of the active life of the organism, at least a quarter of its average duration, which you will agree is not so little...
This was guessed at the beginning of the 20th century by the doctor Pyotr Aleksandrovich Badmaev (Zhamsaran), who devoted most of his scientific works to revealing the secret of the healing power of Ivan tea. The last time Badmaev became a father was at the age of 100. In total, he lived 110 years, he could have lived more ... But the Petrograd prison did not let him do this.

Koporye tea was exported from Russia to Europe - in huge quantities. But simply dried herb Ivan-chai is not Koporye tea. Koporye tea must be fermented before drying, that is, it is subjected to natural fermentation for 24-48 hours. The time of fermentation and the temperature at which it is carried out, just affect the color, taste and aroma of the final product. Tea can be made green, yellow or even black. In terms of taste, Koporye black tea is unrivaled!
There are several fermentation methods. I know of six of them. And all six work great! Let's consider in detail the three most simple, taking into account all the nuances ...

1. Easy way.

Collect leaves and top flowers (without seeds) of Ivan-chai herb. You need to collect them after 10 am, when the morning dew dries. In extreme heat, the collection of raw materials is carried out in the late afternoon. Otherwise, the leaves will "burn" in the basket. You need to collect very carefully so as not to put a forest bug in the basket. Even one insect can ruin all our work. No wonder the Russian proverb says - a small bug, but a stinky one!
Dry the collected leaves and flowers slightly in the shade, knead them thoroughly with your hands, rolling them in your palms, fill them with a 3-liter jar as tightly as possible. Close with a damp cloth and place in a dark place at room temperature for 36 hours. Then take out the fermented mass, loosen and dry at a temperature of about 95 - 110 degrees Celsius, in an electric or gas oven. If desired, flat slab tea can be formed. For example, round, like Chinese "Puer".
In some places in Rus' they made slab tea in the form of a large layer, the size of a baking sheet for a Russian oven. This layer was somewhat reminiscent of modern chipboard, only black-brown in color .. At the bazaar, such tea was sold by weight, chopping off the right piece from the layer - with an ax!
In modern home conditions of a city apartment, it is problematic to make and dry a huge tile. But a small one, with a dry weight of 250 - 300 grams, is quite realistic to make. It can be formed in any plastic container from raw willow-tea grass with a low degree of fermentation under oppression. During the molding, fermentation will be completed completely. You will have to dry the tiles in an electric oven, with upper and lower heating (preferably with infrared emitters), with the convection mode turned on. The drying time will depend on the initial moisture content of the tile (which depends on the time of day, the date of the last rainfall and the month in which the raw material was collected) and its third dimension, the thickness. To save electricity, it is better to dry several tiles at the same time.
When drying, it is necessary to regularly stir the drying tea or turn over the flat tiles. At the same time, it will acquire the color we need. It can vary from light brown to almost black. Drying time for loose tea is determined "by eye", and for round tea - by weighing dry tiles. The ratio of raw mass and finished dry tea should be 5:1. It is better to store Koporye tea under a lid, in a glass or plastic container, in the absence of sunlight.
Shelf life - at least three years.

2. Forgotten way.
On a damp linen canvas or tablecloth, lay out a layer of Ivan-tea leaves up to 3 cm. roll into a "twist", like a big roll, as tightly as possible.
For a small amount of grass, it is better to take the canvas in a smaller size, while it is also not forgotten to slightly moisten it with clean water from a household spray bottle. Otherwise, he will take some of the valuable juice from the leaves.
We tighten the twist with a rope or a rubber band and carefully knead it with our hands, bending and unbending it in different directions for 20-30 minutes, thereby destroying the cellular structure (vacuoles) of Ivan-tea leaves. It is more convenient to do it together. Then we leave the twist alone and give the initial fermentation for 2 - 3 hours. Periodically check the temperature of the twist by touch. With a noticeable warm-up (more than 37 degrees), we finish the initial fermentation.
It turns out such crumpled grass with a pleasant smell of fermented pear compote.
Young apical (May) shoots are so tender that the destruction of their cellular structure occurs during laying in the container. At the same time, a characteristic crunch is heard while pressing the green mass with a hand.
We fold it, tamping it very tightly into plastic buckets or glass jars under the lid for complete fermentation. In order not to confuse them later, we will write the date of the bookmark on the lid. We finish fermentation after 36-40 hours. Its duration can be increased by putting the raw material in a cool place. This will give the tea a more subtle taste. For late tea (preparations in July - August), we do an additional fermentation stage.
To do this, the raw materials taken out of the bucket are thoroughly washed with our hands until the juice appears.
Important point!
If there is no time or energy to perform this operation, then the mass can be passed through the auger of the meat grinder with the knives removed or a special electric grinder. But in this case, the taste and medicinal properties of tea will be weaker ...
Then leave alone in the form of a small pile, covering it with a damp cloth, for 6 - 8 hours at room temperature. As soon as the tea acquires the properties of soft rubber to the touch, it must be dried quickly.
To do this, put the future tea on a baking sheet and dry it in the oven at a temperature of ~ 100 degrees Celsius. At the end of drying, the temperature can be slightly increased. This will allow you to "calcinate" the tea leaves in the likeness of coffee beans. Not only the color and aroma of tea will improve, but also its taste.
Don't forget to stir often! Keep the oven door slightly open. In order for the tea not to roast, it is advisable to put two red clay bricks or ceramic facing tiles on the bottom of the oven.
They will stabilize the temperature and emit infrared rays of the desired spectrum, in the likeness of a Russian stove. The healing qualities of Koporye tea depend on this.
After 1.5 - 2 hours, Koporye tea is ready! With little experience, 300 - 400 grams of dry product can be dried per day. Good results are obtained by drying tea on a dryer made of heating film for saunas.
The film is better to take with a working temperature of 80 degrees Celsius. On top of the film you need to put calico. The whole structure can be made in a rectangular wooden box, which fits perfectly on the windowsill.
Here is a variant of a forced convection stacked film dryer for any kind of Koporye tea. The power consumption is only 500 W, the maximum raw mass loading is 8 kg. Drying time 12 - 16 hours.
But the ideal of drying is the Russian oven. It "automatically" maintains all the parameters of tea drying. Here is such a giant oven, 11 meters high, that can dry several pounds of fermented Ivan tea.
It is better to store Koporye tea under the lid, in a dark place.
Slab tea should be wrapped appropriately in thick paper. The shelf life of loose tea is at least three years, and tiled tea is tens of years!
The taste and aroma of tea only improves with time. Additional dry fermentation takes place.

3. Fermentation under oppression in its own juice.

The collected raw materials (tops of shoots and fireweed leaves) are divided approximately equally into two piles. From the first, with the help of a powerful press juicer, we get juice. The percentage of juice yield is small, even if you use the most modern Angel juicer. We put the remaining half of the leaves in a ceramic-metal pan and pour the fireweed juice. On top we put a wooden circle (or a slightly smaller lid) with a load-oppression. Its weight must be at least 20 kg (or rather, a two-pound weight in a plastic bag so that there is no direct contact with the "brine"). After three days, the fermentation will end and the tea must be dried at a temperature of + 90 degrees Celsius. You will get such plates of Kopor tea

Welding.

For one person, 5 grams of dry brewing of Koporye tea is enough for a day, of course, if they don’t “marathon”. This is about 4-5 cups of a rich drink. Re-welding is allowed. But its taste qualities will no longer be so pronounced.
Taking into account the possible treats of the guests with "koporka" for a year, 2 kg of dry tea is enough for one person.
Most of all, the taste and aroma of Koporye tea depends on the quality of the water and the brew itself.
It would be foolish to say that tap water can be made "tasty" with the help of filters. Who at least once drank tea with lake or melt water from the glaciers of the mountains will understand me.
Dry tea leaves should be uniform in color and size. Its smell is also important, similar to a pear-apple compote of dried fruits, hot dried. From tea leaves, emitting a rotten smell of spoiled hay, good tea will not work.
Crockery (teapot) can be different: glass, porcelain, rock crystal or brass samovar. In the last tea leaves are lowered in a container or a linen bag (based on: 2 tablespoons per 1 liter of volume). From modern materials - cermet. Pour boiling water over.
It is important to keep the brew time. It is at least 40 minutes. For an amateur, it can be increased to 4-6 hours. With a longer process, the drink begins to oxidize and loses its color and taste. Drink hot or cold. When heating cooled tea, do not allow even the slightest boil of the drink. The subtle aroma will disappear immediately.
Usually Koporye tea is drunk without dilution with boiling water.

Benefits of Kopor tea.

The presence of iron, copper, manganese in the plant makes it possible to consider it a means that can improve the process of hematopoiesis, increase the protective functions of the body, and have a pronounced calming effect. Ivan tea gently normalizes bowel activity. Due to the rich content of tannin, mucus and vitamin C, Ivan-tea has good anti-inflammatory and enveloping properties for gastric ulcer, gastritis, colitis. And also with enterocolitis, dysentery diarrhea, flatulence and anemia. Drinking it regularly relieves migraines, helps with insomnia, anemia, delirium tremens, infections, colds and asthma. In general, it raises immunity, being the most powerful natural purifier. In the old days, it was not for nothing that they said about him that he not only heals the body, but also enlightens the mind and uplifts the spirit.

Anyone who drinks Koporye tea will never have problems with the prostate gland and sexual impotence. The name of the plant speaks for itself. And one more of the remarkable advantages of Ivan-tea is that it alkalizes the blood and thereby restores strength during various kinds of exhaustion and after serious illnesses.
source https://www.facebook.com/tatyana.dyakova.5/media_set?set=a.830100850419350.1073741932.100002583284751&type=3

Fireweed narrow-leaved is a very common plant in central Russia. It is also known as Ivan Chai. The plant gained popularity due to the fact that a delicious drink with medicinal properties is produced from it. It is made from the leaves of fireweed. But in order to get real Koporye tea (this is the name of the drink), it is necessary to ferment them before drying the leaves. Only fermented tea will have an excellent taste and aroma.

• Show all

  tea fermentation process

  Fermentation is the processing of leaves with the help of enzymes contained in them. In order to isolate these enzymes, it is necessary to prepare raw materials. The fermentation process itself consists of the following steps:

  • collection of raw materials;
  • withering;
  • preparation (getting juice);
  • fermentation;
  • drying.

  During fermentation, the medicinal qualities and taste of the drink increase several times.

  How to collect a plant?

  The leaves of the plant are collected in the summer, after flowering begins. The taste of the drink depends on the place of collection. Ivan-tea will be more saturated and fragrant if the flowers grew away from roads, industrial enterprises and other dusty places.

  Collection is made in the morning, after the dew dries. It is preferable to collect the top leaves because they are more tender. When the lower leaves are left on the trunk, less harm is done to the plant. One hand holds the stem under the inflorescence, and the other hand moves down, collecting foliage.

  Flowers are collected and dried separately. They are added to already dried leaves.

  

  withering

  Leaves are processed faster when they are withered. In order for the microorganisms to remain intact and the fermentation process to be successful, it is not recommended to wash the workpiece. Only insects are removed.

  In the room where the withering occurs, direct sunlight and wind should not penetrate. The leaves are evenly laid out on a clean cotton cloth with a layer of 4 cm and occasionally mixed.

  Withering time depends on the weather:

  • in dry weather - 12 hours;
  • in humid and cool air - about a day.

  Properly withered leaves do not crackle, do not break and bend well.

  Instead of withering in the fresh air, raw materials can be put in the freezer for a while.

  

  Preparation for fermentation

  The leaves need to be crushed to make a juice containing enzymes. This process is done in different ways. The best methods used at home are described below.

  

  Scrolling leaves in a meat grinder

  Rolling the leaves in a meat grinder in preparation for fermentation is popular. The process is the least laborious, with this method the largest amount of juice is released. The result is granulated tea, which is more convenient to store and consume. The disadvantages include the fact that such a drink, made mechanically, is less tasty and aromatic.

  
  Preparation of leaves for fermentation by twisting

  The leaves are taken in several pieces and twisted by hand. The result should be juice.

  The old way of twisting leaves is as follows:

  1. 1. A damp linen cloth is taken. Humidity is needed so that when twisting the fabric does not absorb the juice of the plant.
  2. 2. Fireweed leaves are laid out on the fabric with a layer of 3 cm.
  3. 3. The fabric is tightly rolled up and tied with a rope.
  4. 4. The roll is twisted and squeezed for 30 minutes.

  There is another method of preparing fireweed for fermentation. Juice is released from half of the leaves, the rest are poured into it. Oppression is placed on top. The fermentation process begins in its own juice

  And although there are many methods for preparing raw materials, their essence is the same. A sufficient amount of juice should stand out from the leaves. And then the fermentation process begins.

  Fermentation

  All prepared raw materials are tightly packed in plastic containers or glass jars, covered with a damp cloth and folded into a room with a temperature of 25-26 degrees. The temperature is very important for the fermentation of willow tea. When it is less, the process stops, and if the temperature is high, then the desired aroma and taste will not work.

  The fermentation time depends on what kind of tea you want to get. With an exposure of 4-6 hours, a light drink is obtained with a reminiscent of green tea, but with a more pronounced aroma.

  The process of deep fermentation is 1-3 days. The tea is tart, with the aroma of fruits and flowers. If the fermentation process is delayed, mold may form. The purity of the dishes and the water in which the fabric was soaked to cover the raw materials is important.

  Drying tea

  After the end of fermentation, the raw material needs to be dried. Usually it takes place in an oven heated to 100 degrees. The leaves are laid out in a thin layer on a baking sheet and placed in a well-heated oven. The door remains slightly open. The process lasts 1.5-2 hours. The tea is stirred periodically.

  This is followed by further air drying. Tea is placed in a canvas bag and hung in a dark and well-ventilated room. The bag is shaken from time to time.

  Ready tea should make a rustling sound and not have a strong aroma.. The aroma appears after brewing tea.

  How to store and brew a drink?

  Clean tin or glass jars are used to store the herbal drink. Containers with tea are stored in a dark place, it should not be exposed to sunlight. Shelf life of tea - 3 years.

  Of great importance for the taste of Koporye tea is the water used for brewing. The temperature for brewing tea should be 90 degrees. Brewing time 10-15 minutes. Welding can be done twice. The aroma of repeated brewing will be stronger.

  The difference between a fireweed drink and ordinary tea

  Indian or Ceylon tea contains caffeine, which gives vigor. It is not present in Koporye tea, but there are other substances that are beneficial to health. It has been proven that drinking fireweed tea helps rid the body of cholesterol. Therefore, it is useful to drink the drink before meals in order to prevent the absorption of excess cholesterol.

  Ivan tea contains sitosterone. This hormone is especially useful for older people: both men and women. It contains a sufficient amount of B vitamins. With regular use of the drink, the work of all organs of the human body improves and life expectancy increases.

  The drink has no contraindications, except for individual intolerance.

  Many people have heard about the benefits and taste of fireweed tea, but not everyone knows how to prepare it properly. Only the use of fermentation before drying the leaves will help to get real Koporye tea.

To get a healthy and fragrant willow tea, it is not enough just to brew fireweed leaves with boiling water. The best drink is obtained from pre-fermented leaves in a special way.

Fermentation is the process of preparing leaves, as a result of which the insoluble substances of plant fibers are converted into soluble and easily digestible. It is these components that give the tea a rich smell, light and taste.

Gathering willow-tea leaves

To obtain raw materials for a good drink, you need to follow certain rules, starting from the very first stage - collecting leaves. Collect Ivan tea at the time of flowering, when the upper part of the brush has not fully blossomed yet. It is best to collect grass away from the road, on the edge of the forest. The leaves there are the most juicy and tender, the tea of ​​them is the most delicious. In order not to damage the plant, leave 3-4 tiers of leaves under the flowers. In this case, Ivan tea will continue to bloom and produce seeds.

Choose dry, sunny weather in the morning, when the dew has just disappeared. But do not engage in the collection in the sweltering heat. The fastest way to collect leaves is to grab the stem with your fingers at the right height and slide your hand down. You will see that the leaves will stay in the palm of your hand quite easily.

Drying Ivan tea leaves

Rinse the leaves after harvesting. Spread a thick napkin or paper in a dry place, avoiding sunlight, and spread the leaves in a layer of no more than 5 cm. During the day, stir them several times with your hands.

Ivan tea fermentation

Now you can proceed directly to the fermentation process. For this:

• take a handful of leaves and start rolling between your palms until a ball is formed. The leaves will darken and release juice. The size of the balls is not important, the main thing is to knead the leaves well;
• fold the leaves into a wide container (enamelled pan or basin) also with a layer of 5 cm. Top with a damp, thick cloth;
• put the pan in a warm place for 20 hours. Time may vary depending on humidity and temperature. Optimal conditions - +25 degrees. But the exact time required for fermentation, you can only determine empirically. The degree of fermentation affects the taste and smell. Someone likes a very strong drink, others prefer weak tea.

Important! It is better to underexpose raw materials than overexpose. In the second case, the aroma of willow-tea will almost be lost, and the drink will become like black tea from a public canteen.

Drying willow-tea

After the fermentation stage is completed, finely chop the resulting balls or "sausages" and lay them out on parchment or cloth, evenly spreading them over the surface in a thin layer.
Cover Ivan tea with a light cloth or gauze from dust. Stir it 2 times a day. When the leaves dry well, the raw material will look like a mixture of green and black tea. At the same time, tea leaves should break well, but not crumble into dust.

If you properly process the green leaves and flowers of Ivan-tea, then the brew from it turns out to be so tasty and fragrant that it is not inferior to oriental teas. What can we say about the beneficial properties, which are an order of magnitude greater in fireweed decoction than in classic tea.

Today, there are several patented official methods for making fireweed tea, but the basis of all methods is the fermentation process of the leaves. This fermentation of Ivan-tea is called.

What is fermentation? Fermentation consists in roasting and air oxidation of fresh raw materials. The leaves that released the juice begin to ferment in it under the influence of oxygen, to stop the fermentation, it is necessary to fry the juicy mixture. The more time has passed from the beginning of fermentation to roasting, the more fermented the tea will be.

There are several technologies for preparing willow tea, as a result of using each of them you can get green tea, black and even red. The taste qualities of these teas are radically different. It is worth noting that fermenting Ivan tea at home is also possible. The process is laborious, but the result is appropriate.

It is necessary to ferment the raw mass in order not only to preserve all the beneficial properties of the green plant, but also to increase them. It has long been proven that it is most useful to use decoctions from fermented leaves. This applies not only to Ivan tea, but to many other medicinal plants. In this way, you can process raspberry, currant, strawberry and even maple leaves.

To harvest Ivan tea by fermentation, you will need whole leaves and tops with flowering, which are recommended to be cut. Do not worry that you will damage the plant, thanks to the unique ability to self-heal, the fireweed will give several times more shoots next year than it was cut. This happens due to the many seeds that scatter over the summer around the trunk.

Each plant by its nature contains everything necessary for natural fermentation. The enzymes contained in the leaf cells will leak out along with the juice if the leaf is crushed, as the cells are destroyed and can no longer retain moisture in themselves. As a result, the plant begins to completely change its biological composition. The process is called self digestion.

Preparation of Koporye tea at home. Consider the three easiest ways to ferment Ivan tea:

• simple;
• long forgotten;
• under pressure.

The easy way. Leaves and flowers must be dried for a day, laid out on a flat surface, then folded with palms into a glass jar. Cover with a damp cloth and let stand in a dark room for 36 hours. During this time, the juice with pulp fermented and the finished mixture can be at a temperature of about 100 degrees for an hour.

Put the finished tea in an airtight container.

forgotten way. This method was used by our ancestors when they prepared Ivan tea by fermentation.

The raw leaves of the kopor plant must be laid out on a wet linen cloth, up to two fingers thick, and wrapped like a roll in a bundle. The fabric must be moistened, if this is not done, then it will absorb the juice of the sheets along with useful elements.

The finished twist must be fixed with bundles and kneaded with palms for about 30 minutes. This process destroys the cells of the plant and releases the juice, which is impregnated with the main raw material. The fermentation process continues for the next three hours. You can find out that the process is over by touching the bundle. If it is hot to the touch and smells of slightly sour compote, the primary fermentation was successful.

The resulting mass is folded in dense layers in a glass dish and sent to a warm place to complete the process for 40 hours. After the time has passed, we take out the leaves and knead again for uniform wetting of the bundles. We leave the raw material at room temperature for 8 hours, previously covered with a wet cloth.

The resulting mass is dried at 100 degrees for two hours. This is how our great-grandfathers prepared Ivan-tea, twisting and fermenting.

The highlight of the method is the ajar oven during the drying process and a couple of bricks placed under the baking sheet. This structure imitates a Russian oven and prevents the raw material from drying out.

Fermentation of Ivan tea under pressure in own juice

The easiest way to ferment Ivan tea at home, given modern technology.

Mix together the tops and leaves, divide the mixture into two parts. We squeeze juice from one, you can use a juicer, and put the second part in an enameled or ceramic container. Fill with juice and press down with oppression, the weight of which is not less than 20 kilograms. The press should not be metal, so as not to spoil the taste of tea and avoid oxidation. After 72 hours, the tea is ready. We dry in a gas or electric oven at a temperature of 90 degrees.

A video of willowherb fermentation can be seen below. It will allow you to visualize the process.

Ivan tea cannot be compared with any other plant in its importance in the treasury of the healing of the Russian people. Even our ancestors drank a drink from it, knowing about the great healing power of grass, namely its leaves. There was a time when all of Europe could enjoy the exquisite taste of tea, which was in no way inferior to overseas varieties. Admirers were looking forward to the arrival of merchants from the Russian land with truly golden useful and fragrant goods.

Ivan-tea, also known as narrow-leaved fireweed, in English Fireweed, which means “weed from conflagrations” in translation. The very first appears on lands devastated by fire to prepare the ground for settlement by other plants. The seeds of a giant flower, reaching up to one and a half meters, due to their volatility, can quickly populate vast areas that are experiencing problems due to the violation of the vegetation cover. Therefore, on wastelands and forest edges, on clearings and marshy places, we meet with a pink blaze of flowers of the miraculous narrow-leaved fireweed.

Not everyone knows how to ferment Ivan tea at home. To get a real natural product from the leaves, you need to try very hard, cook it correctly, or rather ferment it. It is possible to do this on your own with certain knowledge and experience. Just drying and brewing the leaves does not make sense. You will not get any taste, no result, no proper effect. Watch the video and see the usefulness of this drink and the importance of its proper preparation.

The secret of Ivan tea lies in fermentation. Only with proper processing of green raw materials, insoluble substances from plant tissue can turn into soluble ones and are easily absorbed by the body. And we will get from this process the smell, taste and color of the desired drink, and most importantly, the benefit.

The preparation of a healing infusion is a process that involves several stages. It is necessary to collect the leaves, wither them, twist them, carry out the fermentation process, dry them and store them properly. And then brew and drink, getting real pleasure from tea, a charge of vivacity and useful substances. Let's consider how the correct fermentation of Ivan tea occurs at home and its methods.

How to collect and dry leaves

The collection of raw materials falls on the flowering period of plants from June to the whole of August. It is during this period that it is gaining its most strength. Only willow-tea will bloom in pink, people go for the leaves.

They are cut off until the very fluffing of flowers. Then the forces of the plant run out, they decline. Leaves are not torn near the roads of passers-by and collection is carried out only in dry weather. You need to choose shaded places, along the edges of forest glades. The leaf is green, juicy and tender. It curls better and is easier to prepare, and the tea itself is 100 times tastier.

You need to support the stem with your left hand at the peduncle, and with your right hand lead it from top to bottom, cutting off the leaves. The lower ones do not take, they are rough. And under the flowers of tier 3-4 they leave, taking care of the plant. So, it will be able to further raise moisture from the root, collect dew, bloom and delight, lay seeds. And the plant also tries for the person. It grew tall so that it was easier to tear leaves from it without bending.

It is better to collect in batches up to one and a half kilograms. Finish one, follow the next. Separately dry and flowers, then you can add them to tea.

It is necessary to dry the raw materials, this further helps to twist the leaves. Check the collected foliage, remove damaged ones. Inspect them carefully and remove snails and other insects.

The leaves are not washed, so as not to remove beneficial microorganisms. They take an active part in fermentation.

Lay out linen or cotton towels in the shade, and on them a layer of 3–5 cm of raw materials. If the weather is dry and sunny, dry for 4 hours, cool and rainy - 8 hours. Turn the leaves occasionally to dry evenly. You can find out that the leaves are ready by the crunch of the central vein. Bend one in half, crunched, then increase the time. Soft and crunchy - ready for the next step.

How to roll and ferment leaves

In order to extract useful substances from the dried green mass as fully as possible, it is necessary to destroy the leaf structure before the formation of juice. To do this, choose one of three processing methods.

1. Roll by hand. Take a few leaves and roll between your palms into a tube. They will darken, juice will come out. The formed rolls are usually 10 cm long and one and a half centimeters thick (give or take). Of course, the method requires a lot of time, except perhaps in a large company. Then the process will go faster.
2. Twist in a meat grinder. Twist the raw materials in a meat grinder with a large grate. Fast and easy.
3. Freeze in the freezer. Place the leaves in a clean, dry plastic bag and place in the freezer. There they will evenly collapse and release the juice well. Yes, and then twisting the leaves is easy after defrosting.

The main stage is the fermentation of Ivan-tea. The quality of the process will be reflected in the aroma, taste and benefits of the drink. If everything is done correctly, the result in its best manifestation will be achieved.

Place the prepared leaves in a plastic container, preferably in an enamel pan, with a layer of 10 cm, press down a little and cover with a damp natural cloth (cotton or linen).

Remove to a warm place to ferment. The fabric must be kept moist at all times. To do this, carefully remove it and wet it again.

It is impossible to say exactly how long the fermentation process will take. The higher the room temperature, the faster fermentation will be. You need to know that too high a temperature or overexposure of raw materials threatens to deteriorate the smell and taste.

When the color of the mass turns brown or blackens, and the smell becomes rich floral-fruity, it means that the fermentation was successful.

There are three types of fermentation.

Light - until the first signs of a pleasant aroma, about 6 hours;

• the mass is green;
• light tea;
• aroma is strong;
• the taste is soft and delicate.

Medium - usually from 10 to 16 hours,

• with a pronounced aroma
• tart taste with slight sourness,
• the drink itself with a rich reddish-brown color.

Deep - from 20 to 36 hours:

• tart;
• sourness is absent;
• the aroma is light;
• black tea color.

Try different types of fermentation and choose according to your taste. You can prepare teas of varying degrees of fermentation and then mix them. The main thing is not to miss the moment of the end of fermentation and not to let the mass become moldy.

Drying willow-tea and storage of raw materials

Leaf tea after fermentation will be obtained if the leaves are curled by freezing or between the palms. The finished rolls are cut with a knife into washers (0.5 cm) and dried. We have granulated tea after scrolling the leaf mass through a meat grinder. Here's how to dry Ivan tea correctly:

1. Carefully loosen the mass after fermentation so that it is without lumps.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the prepared mass on it in 1 cm.
3. Dry for two hours at an oven temperature of at least 100 degrees. Open the door slightly. In order for the moisture to completely come out, after a while, lower the temperature to 50 degrees. Periodically stir the future tea and taste it to the touch.
4. The tea leaves will tell about the end of drying, which, when squeezed, will break, but will not crumble. The color is like regular tea.
5. Take the tray out of the oven and let cool. Pour dry tea into a bag made of thin natural fabric, you can put it in a pillowcase and hang it in the shade in the breeze.

There is another way to dry in an electric dryer. But there you need to lay out the mass with gaps and not tightly. So the device will not overheat.

A thick-walled frying pan is suitable for drying, in which you need to simmer the mass and shake for half an hour. Then bring to a dry state over medium heat, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon.
Don't let the burning smell come out. But it’s also dangerous not to dry it out; during storage, tea can become moldy.

Do not dry the flowers of the plant along with the fermented foliage. They dry out faster, and at a 100-degree temperature they will simply burn out. The best option would be an oven (50-60 degrees) and dry them very quickly to avoid loss of flavor.

In order for the tea to be well preserved, you need to prepare containers. Wash glass jars, sterilize, let them dry, and polyethylene lids should be clean and preferably new. Birch bark, metal, disposable plastic containers are suitable.

On paper, make inscriptions indicating the degree of fermentation and dates of preparation.
Do not prepare dry tea immediately, let it age. The longer it is stored, the more impressive. Wait a month and brew. Dry tea is stored no more than 3 years. If you decide to drink the magic drink daily, store it in a metal box.

How to brew tea from fireweed

Rinse a clean kettle with boiling water. Pour 2 teaspoons of tea leaves and pour a glass of hot water (not boiling water). Cover and top with a towel for ten minutes. Pour into cups and marvel at the unique aroma. The drink is already ready and it is unnecessary to dilute it with water.

Pour the tea leaves again and let it brew for 15 minutes. The infusion will become even richer, more aromatic and tastier. This is the optimal time, otherwise it will be overcooked and the charm of the product will disappear. Use dry tea twice. During this time, it will give all its useful substances.

Drink the drink hot, and warm, and cold. If you decide to heat it, do not bring it to a boil.
In the old days, a healing remedy from fireweed was drunk with honey, dried fruits and jams. Sugar was not added at that time, but it is already very good. Enjoyed and thanked the plant for its help for good health.

Try different mixing options with dry flowers, mint, oregano, lemon balm. Dried blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. Here you can experiment to achieve new flavors and tastes.

The recipe for "Gorodets tea" from Margarita Voronina

Prepare two teapots. Pour 1 teaspoon of dry willow-tea into a small one and pour a glass of very hot water for 10 minutes. Infuse, pour the drink into a large container, and pour the steamed tea leaves again. So at least four times.

Useful ingredients are consistently extracted from fireweed. The drink acts as a cancer prevention. Fireweed tea will not stain tooth enamel. Its taste is unique, so do not look for familiar notes in it.

The secret of fireweed is solved. The plant itself has everything for fermentation. Wet crumpled leaves are rich in vitamins, nutrients and intracellular enzymes that change the biochemical composition. The process is similar to self-digestion. At the same time, the leaves begin to darken, and a pleasant smell appears.

By the way, any medicinal plants are fermented. Just imagine how many new healthy drinks you can prepare. Let's take Bolotov's famous kvass as a prize. Want to know more about it.

In official medicine, nothing is said about taking Ivan tea. You can only rely on information from grandmothers who drink this drink and cook it dry for themselves and for sale.
First of all, pay attention to contraindications.

Drink tea for no more than 14 days and take a break. Otherwise, it may cause diarrhea. Although for some the drink has become daily.

The optimal number of glasses of fragrant potion is no more than seven.

Follow the brewing recipe: put a teaspoon of dry product in a glass of hot water.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the famous researcher Badmaev became interested in studying the properties of the magical plant fireweed angustifolia and proved its restorative powers by his own example. He devoted many works to the healing gift of Nature. Tea was the main drink for the scientist and doctor. And it was to him that Pyotr Alexandrovich was grateful to the joy of fatherhood at the age of one hundred and his longevity of 110 years. Here is the proof of the uniqueness of the drink!

If you meet a plant anywhere in nature, be sure to pick its leaves and flowers. Prepare Ivan tea at home and drink to your health. This is a powerful force bestowed on man, which should not be forgotten.