Julia Vern 12 161 0

Kalmyk tea is based on ordinary green tea, but all other ingredients and their combination give the drink a completely unusual taste. This tea can be prepared not only according to the classic 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 thirst, but also as a source of calories and a warming agent.

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

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

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

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. For Kalmyk tea, pressed green tea is best suited. Recipe for a classic drink:

  • 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, and after boiling, simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. After adding milk, spices, and salt, you need to boil Kalmyk tea for another 5 minutes and season with oil. The tea is ready after 20 minutes of infusion.

Different types of Kalmyk tea

Although you can use regular loose leaf tea to make the 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 industrial product, black tea is added to green tea.

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

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

Tiled pressed tea is of particular interest. It is produced from hardened leaves and shoots, collected in the fall after the main harvest is completed; elements of spring pruning of the tea bush are also used for briquettes of Kalmyk tea. 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 needs to be boiled and then infused. 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, it is camel or mare's milk. But in the modern world, goat or cow’s milk is more often used to prepare jomba; in extreme cases, cream or milk powder can be added to the drink.

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

The composition of the herbs may differ, but bergenia is considered an essential component of the collection. The plants are collected before the flowering period, so tea with them is considered hypoallergenic.

The richness of its composition makes Kalmyk tea healing and nutritious. Of course, like other food products, this drink is not suitable for everyone, and its use can have both benefits and harm.

Indications and restrictions for drinking Kalmyk tea

The benefits of Kalmyk tea are undeniable; it is not without reason that there are legends about the drink. The drink invigorates, warms, saturates, its components activate many body functions. The positive effects of Kalmyk tea include:

  • general strengthening effect,
  • normalization of metabolism,
  • beneficial effect on digestion,
  • despite the high calorie content of tea, the beneficial substances included in its composition help reduce weight and cholesterol levels by activating metabolic processes;
  • increased lactation in nursing mothers;
  • vigor, increased performance, stimulation of mental activity;
  • detoxification effect;
  • saturation with vitamins, minerals and nutrients;
  • help in the fight against colds, severe coughs;
  • strengthening the immune system, preventing infectious diseases.

In rare cases, Kalmyk tea can be harmful if you have health problems. There are few contraindications to drinking the drink:

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

When using herbs in a drink, you should remember that they all have a certain effect on the body. If you have chronic diseases, you need to take into account restrictions on the use of certain plant components: this also applies to herbs and spices.

Recipes for creating various variants of jomba

You can properly brew tea, traditional for the residents 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 version of the drink. It is this kind of tea - with your favorite taste - that will bring maximum benefits 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 per tablespoon,
  • 1 liter of milk,
  • salt to taste,
  • black and allspice to taste,
  • 2 buds of cloves,
  • a little ground nutmeg,
  • 30 g butter.

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

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

Ingredients of Kalmyk tea with flour:

  • 100 g of 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’s easy to brew this tea: crumble 100 g of tea into water and bring to a boil, after 10 minutes add milk and continue preparing the drink for another 5 minutes. You need to make sure that the tea is brewed over low heat.

The flour is fried until golden brown and added together with spices at the end of cooking. The product should sit for another 15 minutes before it can be consumed.

There is a variation of Kalmyk tea in Adyghe style. The drink is radically different from ordinary 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. Based on this “infusion”, a drink is prepared with milk and butter. This option is also salted and peppered, you can add dried cilantro.

Some people prefer to prepare a drink based on fireweed tea. The plant in an amount of 100 g is brewed over maintaining heat for 40 minutes. After filtering, pour in boiled milk - a third of the volume of the decoction. After heating to 70°C, add oil, salt, and ground pepper. Let the drink brew a little and pour into cups.

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

Kalmyk tea is famous for its abundance of healing properties and original aftertaste. Mongols, Buryats and a number of other nationalities call this drink differently - “jomba”, “karimny”, “tile”, but they prepare it the same way. This is a whole ritual, which we invite you to familiarize yourself with in detail.

Tea or soup?

Since ancient times, the authors of the recipe believed that Kalmyk tea could save from thirst in the summer heat or warm a traveler well in the winter cold. There is some truth in this, given that this drink is the brainchild of nomads who were in constant motion, an endless journey.

The ancestors of the dzhomba sought to make tea not only tasty, but also nourishing (nutritious) - so that it could restore strength after a long journey across the steppes. This is how the idea arose to add lamb fat and milk to the drink.

Interesting! There is no sugar in traditional Kalmyk tea. Instead, the owners add salt to taste. Therefore, while in a local cafe, do not get into trouble by ordering Kalmyk tea for dessert!

About the benefits of jomba

Green tea

The composition of the drink is based on green tea and milk. These two components are beneficial for the body even separately. And together they completely turn jomba into a healing elixir.

Thus, green tea provides the body with antioxidants that slow down the aging process at the cellular level.

It also improves metabolism, transforming fats into vital energy. It is recommended to drink a tonic drink to increase endurance during daily physical activity and sports.

Green tea is in demand among long-livers, as well as people whose work involves psycho-emotional stress. It is believed that the drink can stimulate brain activity and reduce the perception of stress.

In addition, substances contained in green tea leaves have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Milk

You can even write treatises on the benefits of milk. There is only one drawback. This product is poorly absorbed by the adult body in its pure form due to a lack of certain enzymes. And here green tea comes to the rescue. Milk diluted with it, that is, ready-made jomba, can be drunk by everyone without exception, without fear of consequences.

Let us remind you that doctors advise drinking milk during treatment:

  • colds,
  • insomnia,
  • heartburn,
  • poisoning

This means that Kalmyk tea combines the beneficial properties of two ingredients, making the drink accessible to everyone.

Contraindications

As for the harm of Kalmyk tea, there is none. The only thing that can be noted is that milk slightly neutralizes the tonic effect of green tea, and therefore the boost of energy from drinking jomba will be less.

Unusual packaging

It is not difficult to recognize original Kalmyk tea among other drinks. According to long-standing traditions, the manufacturer presses its brewing composition—young steppe herbs, large leaves and shoots of black and green tea—into rough tiles or bricks. When the time comes to brew Kalmyk tea, the necessary part is broken off from the massive, heavy briquettes, and the remnants of the pressed slab composition then wait in the wings.

Due to the fact that the leaves and cut shoots are not dried or fermented, jomba has a specific bitter aftertaste. This is one of the distinctive features of Kalmyk tea.

How to brew

Cookbooks and websites are replete with recipes for making Kalmyk tea. It is noteworthy that in most cases they accurately indicate the required amount of ingredients (grams, liters). But! It’s hard to imagine a nomad with measuring utensils.

Current recipes for Kalmyk tea make it possible to adapt the drink to the tastes of modern people. That is why it is permissible to add various spices and herbs to the classic base. What is the secret to making the original jomba?

Classics of the genre

For those who do not know how to prepare Kalmyk tea with milk, we present step-by-step instructions.

For the recipe you will need:
  1. slab tea
  2. milk (3.5%)
  3. lamb fat
  4. salt.

The ratio of water and milk is 1:3.

Preparation of Kalmyk tea begins with separating a small piece from the tile and crushing it into pieces.

During the brewing of Kalmyk tea, it continues to be saturated with oxygen until milk is poured in. Then wait about 20 minutes of active boiling and add lamb fat. After 3-5 minutes, the jomba is ready to serve to guests. Prepare the bowls.

Important! Kalmyk tea is drunk exclusively hot. The ability of fat to quickly solidify can spoil the overall impression of the drink.

Herbs and spices

The national cuisine of any state does not stand still, but develops dynamically. The Republic of Kalmykia is no exception.

Modern recipes for Kalmyk tea welcome all kinds of additives and allow deviations from the classic version. For Europeans, finding the original collection is a hassle; it is much easier to prepare an exotic drink from “available” ingredients. Therefore, slab tea has long been replaced by affordable loose infusions, and lamb fat has been replaced by butter. Cheap and cheerful.

Below are popular recipes for Kalmyk tea with milk, with a conditional reference to national origins.

Jomba with allspice

For brewing you will need:

  • part of the slab tea,
  • water (2/10 parts),
  • milk (8/10 parts),
  • a piece of butter,
  • salt,
  • 8-10 peas of allspice.

Place small pieces of tiled Kalmyk tea in cold water and bring to a boil. At the next stage, carefully pour in a portion of milk, sprinkle in salt and pepper.

Cook the jombu over low heat for 20 minutes. 2 minutes before removing the drink from the burner, add ghee. Kalmyk tea is drunk hot or warm.

Jomba on black tea with nutmeg

Ingredients for brewing:

  • black tea leaf (1 tbsp),
  • milk (at least 3.2% fat content),
  • butter (1.5 tbsp.),
  • ground black pepper,
  • nutmeg powder,
  • water,
  • salt.

Place the dishes on the fire, pour in water, and add loose tea. When the water boils, pour in the milk, season with salt to taste, pepper (about 1 tsp) and spicy nutmeg (on the tip of a knife).

Continue to simmer Kalmyk tea over the fire for about 17-20 minutes. Next, pour the melted butter into the drink, stir everything thoroughly, and bring the broth to a boil. Finally, remove the finished tea from the stove and pour into ceramic bowls.

Recipe with green leaves

The green mixture is usually brewed on the stove. When the water boils, add full-fat milk (1 part water to 3 parts milk). In this case, suitable spices would be: white peppercorns, salt, bay leaves.

The simmering time for the drink over low heat is 17-18 minutes. 2 minutes before removing the tea from the stove, add melted butter. The finished broth is poured hot into bowls.

By the way, excellent seasonings for the drink in question are:

  • carnation
  • cinnamon
  • crushed walnut.

Interesting! Initially, tea was perceived by its creators more as a food product than a drink, which is why some nationalities still welcome the addition of wheat flour to recipes. Hence the richness and thickness of the broth.

And finally, I would like to note that if you are not a follower of Kalmyk cuisine and cannot bring yourself to love salty tea with spices, do not be sad! Brew your usual green leaf, add milk and sugar and enjoy your favorite taste! This is much healthier, because you can drink this tea with pleasure!

And here is one of the recipes adapted to Slavic cuisine:

All materials on the website are presented for informational purposes only. Before using any product, consultation with a doctor is MANDATORY!

Kalmyk tea is a dish of the national cuisine of the peoples of Kalmykia, Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan, who until the twentieth century preferred a nomadic lifestyle. It’s still not entirely clear whether it’s a drink or a soup. It is made from pressed green long tea with the addition of salt, milk, and animal fats. Medicinal herbs and spices are often used as additional ingredients. Other names: Mongolian, Kyrgyz, jomba or jamba. The color of the liquid is rich dark, brown or milky brown, the taste without seasoning is tart, salty. After swallowing, a feeling of film remains on the oral mucosa. Despite the fact that there are many recipes for preparing Kalmyk tea, the drink has not gained much popularity due to its specific consistency.

How is Kalmyk tea made?

The main ingredient of the dish is tea leaves. It is made to order using a mixture of lower and upper tea leaves, side shoots and buds. The dense structure is achieved due to the abundant release of resins during pressing.

Note! The difference between slab Kalmyk tea and regular tea is the absence of fermentation of the raw materials.

To save a little money, they often purchase crumbly, slightly dried raw materials for pressing themselves. In this case, salt is added at the tile manufacturing stage.

Some small businesses have improved the technology and soak the leaves in milk, then dry them in ovens with the oven door open, or under the sun. It is much more convenient to brew this pressed Kalmyk tea - you can take it with you on trips and enjoy a taste similar to the original one, without adding additional ingredients.

Important! It is impossible to obtain a completely real product by brewing alone. The drink needs to be boiled.

Composition and calorie content of Kalmyk tea

The nutritional value of the product depends on the amount of milk, animal fats and other components.

The calorie content of classic Kalmyk tea is 429 kcal, of which:

  • Proteins - 2 g;
  • Fats - 33 g;
  • Carbohydrates - 31 g.

The amount of dietary fiber and ash substances depends on the quality of the feedstock.

The composition of Kalmyk tea includes:

  1. Caffeine stimulates the functioning of the brain and heart muscle, but inhibits the activity of the vagus nerve.
  2. Tannin - gives a tart taste and has a calming effect.
  3. Catechins are natural immunomodulators with antimicrobial activity.
  4. Phenolic compounds stimulate appetite, irritate the mucous membrane of the digestive tract, and stimulate the release of food enzymes.
  5. Potassium - stabilizes the functions of the kidneys, liver, cardiovascular system, normalizes heart rhythm.
  6. Fluoride - improves immunity and removes antioxidants and heavy metal salts from the body.
  7. Iodine - accelerates metabolic processes, is “responsible” for the function of the thyroid gland, accelerates the development of nerve fiber cells.
  8. Manganese - stimulates the production of synovial fluid, improves joint function, protects the liver from the accumulation of fat cells.
  9. Sodium - participates in vital processes and normalizes water and electrolyte balance.
  10. Vitamin K - the main role of the substance is to increase the function of blood clotting.
  11. Ascorbic acid - stimulates the synthesis of hormones and the removal of toxins.
  12. Nicotinic acid - accelerates metabolic processes and improves cerebral and peripheral circulation.
  13. B complex of vitamins - stabilizes the functioning of the central nervous system.

When preparing Kalmyk tea, the tea leaves, coming into contact with milk and other ingredients, create easily digestible complexes of useful substances, which have a beneficial effect on the body. Thanks to the drink, you can quench hunger and thirst, and restore strength after serious illnesses. However, the taste and effect of the product are so specific that not everyone can improve their health in this way.

Beneficial properties of Kalmyk tea

With the help of a healing drink of complex composition, shamans treated all diseases. They believed that tea promoted longevity. The recipe for a rejuvenating complex of that time: give up all types of food for a week, and in the morning drink only a large bowl of tea and think about the eternal.

Eternal life does not guarantee the use of the product, but the benefits of Kalmyk tea have been officially proven:

  • Strengthens the immune system, has an antimicrobial effect, and inhibits viral activity.
  • Accelerates recovery after serious illnesses, improves memory function, and normalizes the functioning of the central nervous system. Used to eliminate anemia.
  • Prevents the development of diabetes, reduces blood sugar levels.
  • Stabilizes blood pressure, strengthens blood vessels and tones the walls.
  • Improves reaction, speeds up memorization.
  • Reduces gas formation. It has an antioxidant effect, helps cleanse the liver of toxins, and the intestines of toxins and fecal stones.
  • Quickly warms up after hypothermia and helps restore water and electrolyte balance in the heat, restores the loss of salts.

Despite its high calorie content, Kalmyk tea with milk is recommended to be included in a diet for weight loss. Acceleration of metabolic processes neutralizes the nutritional value of the dish. The feeling of hunger is blocked, and one meal lasts for several hours.

The drink helps nursing mothers restore lactation, and pregnant women eliminate intoxication. The condition for treatment in this case: Kalmyk tea should be a familiar product. It is unacceptable to introduce this dish into the diet for the first time in such cases.

Contraindications and harm of Kalmyk tea

The therapeutic effect of the drink is time-tested. But in people who are not used to it, it can provoke negative symptoms: nausea, indigestion, epigastric pain and hepatic colic.

Harm to Kalmyk tea can occur if it is abused, if you are allergic to the ingredients - milk, herbs, green or black tea, or if the recipe is not followed.

Negative effects: urolithiasis and cholelithiasis, impaired liver function, renal failure, development of gastroenterocolitis. If these diseases already exist, then you should refuse to try a new dish.

You should not give your child a drink for the first time until they are 6 years old. However, fatty, salty “soup” is unlikely to bring pleasure to the baby.

How to brew Kalmyk tea?

There are many recipes for the dish, but, regardless of the type of brew and method of preparation, there are certain recommendations that it is advisable to follow.

Before brewing Kalmyk tea, you need to take care of suitable utensils. The liquid will have to be boiled for a long time, so a kettle made of heat-resistant plastic or glass will not work.

Turn off the drink only when the contents of the saucepan have reduced by 2 times. To speed up the process, use a pot or vat with wide edges.

Immediately pour into bowls and drink hot. If this condition is not observed, the liquid will harden, thicken, and a greasy film will appear on the surface. It is inconvenient to help yourself from cups - you can get burned.

Only full-fat milk is used, homemade, and can be replaced with cream. If you only have a pasteurized product on hand, be sure to add butter.

You can add spices to your own taste, experiment with the amount of salt or medicinal herbs.

Tea bars must be stored in packaged form so that they do not lose their pronounced aroma. It is impossible to get a strong drink from “winded” tea.

How to prepare Kalmyk tea:

  1. Simple express recipe. A 10 g slab of green tea, preferably unfermented, is poured with 250 ml of cold water and brought to a boil. Boil for at least 10 minutes, pour in milk - the same amount as there was water in the original volume, heat until bubbles, add spices to taste - cinnamon, pepper mixture, grated nutmeg, bay leaf, thyme. Boil for 10-15 minutes, stir constantly so as not to burn, remove from heat. Add 1 tsp. butter. Let stand covered for at least half an hour.
  2. In Tatar. Break off a piece of tile and pound it. Calculation for serving - 1 tsp. tea leaves, 100 ml water, 100 ml fat milk. Pour the mixture of liquids into the tea leaves at the same time and boil in an open cast-iron pan without closing the lid until the contents are reduced by 1/3. Add salt, cook for another 5-10 minutes, add butter, preferably melted butter, before turning off.
  3. Kalmyk. The proportions of tea and liquid are 10 g of tea leaves, 100 ml of water and 200 ml of milk. Pour cold water over the crushed compact, bring to a boil, pour in milk and add salt, favorite herbs and spices - peppercorns, and cinnamon and cloves - with sticks. Cook for at least 30 minutes until the contents boil away, add a little ghee or lamb fat. When the volume is reduced by 1/3, filter everything and pour into bowls. Before serving, add a piece of butter to each.
  4. . A slab weighing 250 g is crushed and 3 liters of cold water are poured. Boil for 20 minutes, removing large stems and cuttings that emerge. Then pour in thick cream, already heated almost to a boil. Bring to a boil and leave for 7 minutes. Seasonings are ordinary, be sure to insist.
  5. Khursits. For this type of drink, an exception is made - they take not tiles, but brick tea, for the facing side of which a high-grade fermented long leaf variety was used. A mixture of wheat and rye flour is fried in melted lard until rich golden color. It is brewed using any of the technologies already described, but at the boiling stage, the bay leaf and nutmeg must be omitted. Flour is introduced 10 minutes before turning off. The drink must be strained.

The most interesting recipe for Kalmyk tea in Adyghe. First, boil the horse sorrel: pour in the grass, after rinsing it with cold water, knead it so that the juice is released more easily, and simmer over low heat for at least an hour. It is necessary to calculate the amount of liquid so that it is enough until the end of the process. The decoction is decanted and used to make tea. An additional ingredient is dried cilantro. Instead of sorrel, you can use fireweed or oregano. In herbal versions, cream is added to 1/3 of the volume of the decoction.

Modern recipes use butter, but the Kalmyks added lamb fat. The ancient Mongols could not imagine tea soup without fried sheep bone marrow and pieces of fat tail. In order to prevent the development of scurvy, the Adygs, in addition to horse sorrel, added steppe grass, which was called lebeshai. Historians still cannot agree on whether it is oregano, lovage or a mixture of herbs.

The only thing that remains unchanged in the Kalmyk tea recipe is the brewing of unfermented green tea, pressed into tiles. Once upon a time this was explained by taste, now - by the ability to prepare a strong drink. True, there are already culinary specialists who infuse loose long-leaf green tea.

The original dish was simmered overnight. According to ancient tradition, they stirred (samrili) up and down clockwise - exactly 189 times. This movement - from left to right - imitates the solar movement throughout the day across the sky.

The energy properties of the resulting infusion were so high that in a modern person, after 1 cup, the heart can stop and intestinal volvulus may occur.

The first to try the healing properties of tea was a Tibetan monk. Feeling unwell, he could not cope with it on his own, with the help of prayers and rituals. Tsonkhava turned to the Kalmyk shamans. Already on the seventh day of therapy, the disease subsided completely.

Once upon a time, Russian ambassadors refused to drink a strange drink during a traditional tea party, for which they paid with their lives. The meal of the Mongol princes consisted of lamb, which was washed down with rich tea. The Russians refused to try the peculiar hot, spicy-salty product and were content with cold water. (They did not know that if you drink the fatty, fibrous meat with spring water, intestinal obstruction can develop.) Within a few hours, they began to have severe colic, and half of the delegates died in terrible agony. They decided that poison had been poured into them, which aggravated an already difficult relationship.

Tea ceremonies are still held today. They end not so tragically, since those who want to try a drink with specific properties imagine in advance what they will drink. In addition, even if the main dish is fatty lamb, it must be accompanied by a side dish of carbohydrates. Tea is poured into ceramic bowls, and flat dishes with spices are placed on the table so that everyone can season the drink to their own taste, and a pot of honey.

How to brew Kalmyk tea - watch the video:

If you want to enjoy a real national dish, you should come to Kalmykia in May. Every third Saturday the Kalmyk tea festival takes place, and you can try several varieties brewed according to original recipes.

Any tea party cannot be imagined without lemon, jam and sweet pastries. However, tea - white, green or black, is inherently not just an independent drink. It forms the basis of a large number of drinks, which are prepared with the addition of a wide variety of ingredients.

Even the most discerning admirers of tea art cannot imagine that there is tea in which salt is added instead of traditional sugar, and which is so nutritious that it can even compare with first courses. We will talk about an exotic drink that was brought to the ancient Russian land by Tatar-Mongol warriors - Kalmyk tea.

What is Kalmyk tea

A multi-component drink, known as Kalmyk tea, was created by ancient nomadic peoples as a means to quench thirst and quickly restore strength. Its basis is milk, which, in combination with various types of tea, as well as herbs and spices, makes up a single composition.

Kalmyk tea, whose history goes back to the distant past, is known as jomba tea. It is popular among many peoples, and in Central Asia it is called Kyrgyz, in Eastern Siberia and Transbaikalia - Karym, and in the European part of Russia - Kalmyk. This drink does not lose its relevance throughout the year: on hot days it refreshes and tones, and on cold winter days it warms. Each nation honors its traditions and passes on from generation to generation its unique way of preparing Kalmyk tea at home.

In addition, dzhomba is part of the national heritage, therefore, since 2011, every year on the third Saturday of May, Kalmykia has celebrated a special holiday - Kalmyk tea day.

Tea composition

Despite the differences in customs, the basic ingredients needed to prepare Kalmyk tea are traditionally used. Typically this is:

  • pressed tile composition;
  • milk;
  • nutmeg;
  • briquette of green and black teas;
  • salt;
  • butter;
  • steppe herbs, including bergenia.

The rich composition of Kalmyk slab tea contains vitamins, minerals, micro- and macroelements, antioxidants, and ascorbic acid. Thanks to this, the drink has a high energy value.

Beneficial features

There has long been ongoing debate about the benefits and harms of Kalmyk tea. But the presence of milk and green tea in the drink indicates its benefits. The time-tested consumption of jomba confirms its beneficial effects on the body. So, with constant use, properly brewed tea copes with the following problems:

  • improves metabolism;
  • increases lactation, which is useful for nursing mothers;
  • reduces blood glucose levels;
  • increases appetite;
  • improves metabolic processes;
  • eliminates swelling, removes excess fluid;
  • improves digestion;
  • stimulates mental and brain activity;
  • normalizes the functioning of the intestines and the entire digestive system;
  • fights vitamin deficiency;
  • helps with diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

Kalmyk tea is useful during pregnancy, as it provides the expectant mother with energy. It eases the course of colds, fights cough and other symptoms.

The beneficial properties of Kalmyk tea include the ability to saturate the body of people experiencing daily physical mental stress with energy, cope with depression, quickly restore strength and cope with chronic fatigue.

Contraindications and possible harm

Despite the obvious benefits, the healing drink can cause some harm to the body.

Contraindications are cholelithiasis in the late stage, as well as individual intolerance to the components of Kalmyk tea. Abuse of this healthy drink can lead to or worsen kidney and liver diseases. There are no other restrictions on the consumption of milk drinks, but it should be remembered that moderation in drinking tea will only improve your health.

How to prepare Kalmyk tea

To get a drink that is healthy in all respects, you need to learn how to brew Kalmyk slab tea correctly. For these purposes, you should use the recipe for classic Kalmyk tea with milk. You will need the following:

  • 800 ml milk;
  • 200 ml water;
  • 50 g slab tea;
  • 40 g butter;
  • 10 black peppercorns;
  • 1 tsp salt.

The preparation of classic Kalmyk tea consists of several stages.

  1. Crumble the tea slab, add cold water and put on fire.
  2. After boiling, pour in the milk and add salt and pepper.
  3. Boil the mixture over low heat for 15 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and add butter.
  5. Strain the finished tea before drinking.

The following option offers how to brew Kalmyk tea 3 in 1 based on green leaves.

Boil the leaves in water for 1-2 minutes, then pour in fat milk in a ratio of 1:3. Add bay leaf, white peppercorns, and salt there. If desired, you can add other spices to Kalmyk tea with milk.

In addition to the described recipes for preparing Kalmyk tea with milk, there are other options for brewing Kalmyk tea. They involve replacing some ingredients to change the taste. So green tea can be replaced with black tea or han tea. Instead of these ingredients, you can use tea bags or mixed tea bars. According to some recipes, it is recommended to use spices and herbs to enrich the taste.

The modern interpretation of Kalmyk tea involves the use of butter and high-fat cow's milk. In the classic version, lamb fat is used instead of butter, and young mare’s milk is used instead of cow’s fat.

For lovers of exotic drinks, we offer a recipe for Kalmyk tea made with meat broth, not milk. To prepare this version of the drink, you must follow the sequence of the process.

  1. Prepare broth from 500 g of ribs and 3 liters of water (after boiling, it should be simmered for 1 hour over low heat).
  2. Pour 200 g of crushed pressed tea into the strained broth without meat and boil for 10 minutes.
  3. Pour 2 liters of milk into the resulting liquid and bring to a boil.
  4. Add one pinch of salt and pepper, stir and simmer for another 10 minutes.
  5. Before serving, add chopped nutmeg.

The drink is served in bowls; ribs with boiled potatoes are served separately as a side dish.

Kalmyk tea is one of the unique and unusual national drinks that has a long history. It also has a large number of names: Dzhomba, Mongolian, Kyrgyz, but it is most familiar under the name Kalmyk. This is a common tea consumed by nomads and has beneficial properties.

Story

Many people learned about the magical qualities of Kalmyk tea thanks to ancient legends. As they say in one of them, the famous healer treated a religious figure from a serious illness with this special drink.

According to the doctor's recommendation, the patient was to take one cup of tea for a week. After this time, the religious figure was completely healed. Then he proclaimed to everyone who believes in God to light a lamp and take tea in the form of a miraculous potion on the day of his miraculous recovery.

The nomads of Mongolia learned the recipe for this magical drug from the population of Tibet and spread it among the population of almost all countries located in Central Asia.

And in every country this tea was made national, like, for example, Kalmyk tea. This is because each country added its own components to the usual recipe. Each people began to prepare it in their own way. For example, in China the drink is brewed exclusively with water, all because tradition is most valued here. Due to a shortage of water, nomadic peoples began to make tea based on mare and camel milk, of which they had sufficient quantities.

How to brew Kalmyk tea with milk?

This drink was widely used among Central Asian nomads. All thanks to the fact that the tea turned out to be extremely nutritious. It is also able to quench thirst and restore lost strength, which is extremely necessary in the harsh steppe climate. Ingredients for preparing a milk-based drink: sheep fat, butter, green tea, and various spices.

Various medicinal plants can be used to prepare tea.

The main difference in preparing this tea is its boiling and infusion. Only by observing this rule does the drink acquire its inherent tart taste and bright aroma. It is capable of saturating the human body for a long time. Many people add salt and various spices to tea, thanks to this the drink acquires new bright notes.

To make Kalmyk tea more convenient to transport in case of a large number of moves, ancient nomads invented pressed tea. Its composition is no different from the traditional one. Today there are a large number of adherents of the national tradition who prefer pressed tea. It should be crushed before use.

Nowadays, they began to add butter to Kalmyk tea. In ancient recipes, lamb fat was used for this, as well as various herbs. All this was necessary to prevent scurvy, vitamin deficiency, and loss of strength, which helped the nomads stay firmly in the saddle and also move large herds.

Green tea according to Kalmyk recipes is the most important national dish

This tea is used to greet newlyweds, see off people on their final journey, and also welcome guests.

Before brewing it, you need to organize a quiet environment and achieve a special mental mood. The final quality of the prepared tea will depend on all of the above conditions.

The traditional drink is usually prepared in a special saucepan until its quantity is reduced by half. You need to stir the tea exclusively clockwise, imitating the movement of the sun across the sky.

To fill the drink with oxygen, you should perform the following steps: scoop tea from a saucepan with a ladle, then pour the liquid back in a thin stream from a certain height. This manipulation must be repeated about 99 times over a seething container. Kalmyks believe that this way the drink receives the healing power of nature by touching the air.

Tea Recipes

Milk, pressed tea leaves, salt and pepper to taste – these are the main components of tea. There are several different recipes for this tea.

  1. In Tatar. Prepared in one serving. To prepare it, you need to add about 30 g of tea leaves to boiling water (100 ml) and add 100 g of milk. Tea must be prepared with constant stirring. After five minutes, 10 g of butter and salt are thrown into it.
  2. In Kalmyk. To do this, grind 50 g of compressed tea and add one liter of chilled water to it. Then all this needs to be boiled, add 2 liters of milk, spices and salt to taste. Boil for about 15 minutes, then strain. Pour hot tea into prepared bowls and add one teaspoon of oil.
  3. Dzhomba. For a big tea party. You need to take a cube of green tea (200-250 g), crush it and add water (3 l). For this purpose, take cold water. All this needs to be boiled and then simmered over low heat for 15 minutes. During cooking, any floating stems should be collected. Add 2 liters of warm cream to the container, then, stirring, boil for about five more minutes, then throw in a piece of butter, salt and peppercorns. The tea is infused for 10 minutes and can be offered to guests.
  4. Khursits. To prepare it you need to take 3 tbsp. spoons of tea in bars. Next, you should fry the flour (0.5 teaspoon) in melted lard. The tea should be brewed and strained. You need to add flour and milk (3 tablespoons) and tea to boiling water. Bay leaf and nutmeg are added to the finished drink.