Ivan Chai (herbal black tea alternative)
Ivan chai is a Russian name for a herbal tea made from the leaves of Epilobium angustifolium known as Rosebay willowherb or Fireweed. This tall herbal perennial with pink or purple flowers is native to the northern hemisphere and very common in many areas of North America and Eurasia. Willowherb tea was popular in Eastern Europe for centuries and in the past was often used by people who couldn’t afford the real tea. The interesting fact is that Ivan Chai used to be imported to Great Britain from Russia in the 18th and 19th centuries.
I learned about this plant years ago from my Ukrainian friends and used it since then. In recent years Ivan Chai has been gaining popularity worldwide due to its pleasant taste and numerous health benefits. The fermented leaves of willowherb are reminiscent of the black tea but they are much healthier and free of caffeine and oxalate. It is widely known as a ‘men’s herb’ because it improves prostate health. But the tea can be drunk by everyone. It helps digestion, boosts immunity, improves mood relieves stress, and promotes relaxation so it is great to have a cup before going to bed. The fermented tea is also a good source of antioxidants and easy to absorb minerals and vitamins.
However the whole process may look long and complicated, it is really simple to make your own healthy and delicious tea. It will last for months and develop the flavour with time. It can be made into an ‘Earl Grey’ tea by adding bergamot essential oil or drank traditional English way with oat milk. It’s great for preparing delicious chai latte with milk, maple syrup, cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Wilting time: 4-8 hours
Fermenting time: 50-75 hours
Drying time: 12-24 hours
Total time: 62-99 hours
Ingredients:
Fresh leaves from 5-10 blossoming Willowherb plants
(if you are not sure how to recognise the plant watch a youtube video - there are plenty of them - or ask someone more experienced. There are a few other similar plants to Rosebay willowherb but none of them is poisonous. Actually most of them have numerous health benefits as well but their leaves will not work the same way to make the tea. When you try to recognise the plant focus on the flowers - their shape is very characteristic).
Method
You will need a glass jar and dehydrator or oven
Start by finding a few willowherb plants growing far from the road. It is best to harvest the leaves during flowering. It will be easier to recognize the plant at this time because the pink 4-petal flowers are very characteristic and difficult to mistake with any other flowers. I like to use the willowherb flowers in my kitchen but if you just want to make the tea strip the leaves from growing plants and leave the flowers for the bees and butterflies.
Place the leaves on the tray or the fabric sheet and leave at room temperature to wilt. The process may take from 4 to 8 hours.
When all the leaves are rolled place them in a glass jar and cover tightly with a lid. Place the jar in a warm place for 2-3 hours (it is best to put the jar in the oven with doors ajar at about 50-60C).
After 2 or 3 hours you will see the leaves are sweating and there are drops of water on the glass. Do not open the jar but shake a few times and leave it for 48 to 72 hours at room temperature to oxidize. That’s the process similar to traditional tea fermentation. The tea will get darker and develop the flavour with time so leave it for longer if you like your tea stronger and more fragrant. The colour should be brown or black after the fermentation. If you want to add an extra flavour to your tea do this at this stage. You can easily make ‘Earl grey’ tea by adding a drop of pure food-grade bergamot essential oil to the jar with willowherb leaves before fermenting them. The leaves will absorb the flavour during the fermentation process. Instead of the bergamot, you can use any other essential oil like lemon, orange, rose or lavender.
When the leaves develop nice strong scent take them out of the jar and spread a thin layer on a baking tray or dehydrator tray. Dry in a dehydrator at 40-50C or use the oven set to its lowest temperature with the door ajar.
Store the tea in an airtight container for up to one year. Drink instead of the black tea the way you like (plain, with milk or as a chai latte with maple syrup, cinnamon, cardamom and ginger).
Benefits:
This tea is a rich source of antioxidants, vitamin C, iron, magnesium and manganese.
It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, improves prostate health, helps digestion, boosts immunity, improves mood relieves stress, and promotes relaxation.
It helps reduce migraines symptoms, headaches, and skin problems (acne, dandruff, eczema).
