LEMONGRASS PANDAN TEA RECIPE
Relax and refresh with a glass of homemade Lemongrass Pandan Tea, a wonderfully aromatic and healthy Thai herbal drink. This traditional recipe gently simmers fresh lemongrass and fragrant pandan leaves together to create a beautifully fragrant infusion. Sweetened with authentic palm sugar and served over ice, it’s the perfect, soothing drink to cool you down on a warm day.
Ingredients (for a large jug, approx. 4-6 servings)
- 5-6 stalks of Fresh Lemongrass
- A large handful of Fresh Pandan Leaves (about 8-10 leaves)
- 1.5 litres of Water
- 100g (approx. 1/2 cup) Palm Sugar (adjust to your taste)
- Plenty of Ice Cubes
- For Garnish (optional): A thin stalk of lemongrass and lime slices
Method
- Prepare the Herbs: First, let’s get the herbs ready to release all their flavour. For the lemongrass, trim the top and bottom, peel away the dry outer layer, and give the stalks a good bruise with the back of a knife or a rolling pin. For the pandan leaves, wash them and tie them together into one large knot.
- Infuse the Flavours: Place the bruised lemongrass and the knotted pandan leaves into a large pot with the 1.5 litres of water. Bring it to a boil over a medium-high heat.
- Simmer Gently: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer gently, partially covered, for 15-20 minutes. Your kitchen will start to smell amazing! This simmering time is key to extracting all the beautiful, aromatic oils from the herbs.
- Sweeten the Tea: Turn off the heat. Add the palm sugar and stir until it has completely dissolved. The palm sugar will give the tea a lovely caramel hint and a beautiful light golden colour.
- Cool and Strain: Let the infusion cool down to room temperature in the pot. Once cool, strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a large jug, discarding the cooked lemongrass and pandan.
- Chill and Serve: Chill the jug of lemongrass and pandan tea in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or until thoroughly cold. To serve, fill glasses with ice cubes and pour the chilled tea over the top. Garnish with a fresh stalk of lemongrass or a slice of lime if you like.
Note
- The Flavour Base: The longer you simmer the herbs (up to a point), the stronger and more fragrant your tea will be. Don’t be afraid to let it infuse for a good 20 minutes.
- Palm Sugar: Using palm sugar not only sweetens the drink but also adds a wonderful, subtle caramel depth of flavour that is very traditional in Thai drinks and desserts.
- Serving it Warm: On a cooler day, this drink is equally delicious served hot, just like a regular cup of herbal tea.
- Storage: The tea will keep well in a sealed jug in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
