This is a typical lemon-flavored hot tea that I first had in Kuwait, quite by accident. After a tiring day of traveling, and the weather being somewhat unexpectedly cool, I felt like a hot cup of tea was in order. Suggesting this to my Kuwaiti host, I was surprised with his response that he never drank tea—that is, tea made from tea leaves. Not wanting to disappoint him, I awaited the cup of coffee that I was sure he was going to offer me in its place. Instead, out came his wife with a steaming cup of Shai bil-Laymoon. She then explained that the only surprise she discovered when she got married was that her husband simply did not like tea. To compensate, she introduced him to this lemon tea and after that, their shared evenings over the usual cup of coffee transitioned to the more relaxing lemon tea. Shai bil-Laymoon, I discovered, was delicious. Perhaps it was the fresh lemon, perhaps it was knowing that one lemon provides nearly 80 percent of a person’s daily need of vitamin C, or perhaps the orange blossom water, but knowing that this hot version of lemonade tasted this good, spurred me on to have another cup and ask them for the recipe. Cinnamon Tea Shai Qirfah While brewing in its pot, this tea’s wonderful and unexpected aroma is enticing. A favored spice among Middle Eastern Arabs and used, mostly, in making desserts, cinnamon is used to make this delicious tea in Kuwait and in most of the other countries along the Arabian Gulf.
Makes four 6-oz (185-ml) servings
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups (750 ml) water
- 1 lemon, washed and quartered
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons orange blossom water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Bring the water and lemon to a boil in a medium saucepan with a lid.
- Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
- Strain the hot water and lemon mixture into another saucepan or teapot.
- Stir in the sugar and orange blossom water.
- Bring to a boil and serve.
