Ivan-tea: preparation at home: collection, fermentation

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

The medicinal properties of tea made from a plant with the original Russian name Ivan-tea simply determine its use. The plant has other, forgotten Russian names, which are being revived today and are beginning to be used again - this is a dremukha, a mother plant.

The scientific name of the plant is fireweed. Each of the names reminds of the benefits of using for the purpose of improving health. Harvesting Ivan tea at home involves the simplest way, which is also extremely significant - this is fermentation, that is, preserving the natural green color of the foliage and the bright shades of the inflorescence.

The leaves and flowers of the plant are used for preparation. You can find it at the edges of the forest, in wide meadows. Ivan tea is specially scattered in the steppe reserves in order to preserve its population.

Fireweed: the need for fermentation

Koporye tea benefits the body for various diseases, if the raw materials are properly prepared and fermented. According to herbalists, the fermentation process consists in obtaining life-giving juices from the plant's raw materials, which must necessarily come into contact with air, undergo fermentation and oxidation processes before proceeding to complete drying.

After proper fermentation, fireweed retains its beneficial substances, and strongly brewed tea has an unusual fruity aroma. When the collected raw materials are dried in the usual way, the tea turns out to be not only tasteless, but also useless.

Fermentation technology is a special way of harvesting sheet raw materials. The leaves are first rolled up with "sausages", folded in layers in the chosen dish, it can be a large saucepan or special plastic trays. It is important to place oppression on top, which will facilitate the release of juice from the twisted leaves. The dishes with leaves pressed down by oppression are covered with a slightly damp cotton cloth and placed in a warm place. Not in the sun, better in the shade, in a draft.

The optimum temperature for fermentation of Ivan-tea is considered to be up to + 26 ° С. It is important to monitor compliance with the temperature regime, since with a decrease in temperature, the processes of juice release, its oxidation upon contact with air may stop. The same happens when the temperature rises. This is of great importance in obtaining deliciously brewed, aromatic tea.

For lovers of especially strong tea, the easiest way to prepare Ivan tea at home is offered to ferment at its time. The minimum fermentation lasts 3 hours - 3 days. It is believed that the longer the fermentation lasts, the stronger and tastier the tea drink will be.

The longest fermentation time is 12 days, but here it is important to lower the temperature regime, after a couple of days of warm temperature, move the dishes to coolness with oppression. You will also need to turn the "sausages" over, make sure that the whole mass is not affected by mold.

Simple methods for fermenting fireweed

One of the easiest ways to properly prepare and ferment Ivan-tea at home is considered to be wrapping the prepared raw materials in a canvas of slightly moistened cotton cloth.

The method is incredibly simple:

Crumpled leaves are fermented completely;

· The fabric is wetted quite a bit so that the matter does not take moisture from the raw material;

· Pre-prepared foliage is laid out on the fabric;

· The canvas is tightly twisted into a bundle along its entire width;

· Double rope tying is used.

A bundle made in this way must be crumpled for about 20 minutes so that all the leaves bind and release their juice. After that, the tissue bundle, twisted into sea knots, remains for pre-fermentation for 3 hours. As soon as the twisting temperature reaches 37 ° C, the pre-fermentation is considered complete.

After that, the twist with the prepared sheet raw material must be placed in a heated, warm container, where the fermentation process using oppression will continue for another 3 days.

Many herbalists like the way to prepare fireweed at home using a meat grinder. This is the least time consuming and fastest way. Knives are removed from the meat grinder, the entire mass of leaves is passed through it. An enameled dish covered with a moistened cloth is placed under the meat grinder. The mass of leaves passed through a meat grinder should be covered with a damp cloth, put in a warm place for 3-6 hours, under oppression.

Signs of the completion of the fermentation of Ivan-tea at home:

· The color of the leaves will change from green to green-brown;

· The raw material will have a fragrant fruity-floral smell.

It is this tea that will bring the greatest benefits to human health. The beneficial properties are due to the presence of a variety of vitamins and minerals.

The prepared raw materials contain in their chemical composition:

· Vitamins of groups A, B and PP;

· Ascorvite, vitamin C;

Microelements - K, P, Mg, Cu, Se, Fe, Ca, Zn.

With such a composition, tea can be successfully used as a strengthening vitality, immunomodulating, tonic, medicinal drink. The main thing is to collect leaves, flowers in time, properly prepare them for the winter.

With a variety of the simplest ways of preparing Ivan tea, you can choose the one you like better to use it at home.

Procurement of Ivan-tea

The appearance of the fireweed should be known so as not to confuse it with other tall, brightly blooming representatives of the plant world. In good growing conditions, this flower reaches human height, is rich in color with pink and purple flowers. The plant is perennial, usually grows over a wide area, and it is not difficult to collect leaves from one plot for harvesting for the whole winter.

Narrow-leaved Koporye tea is suitable for harvesting, which differs from different types of the same family. Swampy and damp places are usually overgrown with marsh fireweed, small-flowered fireweed.

Herbalists pay attention to an important point: the plant blooms all summer. Leaves and flowers can also be harvested throughout the summer. But: there is no need to collect raw materials on those days when the flowers begin to puff with seed plants, which fly in the wind and from the slightest movement of the stems. At this time, the plant is not suitable for harvesting.

Flowers and leaves are dried separately. Flowers dry out in the shade in a draft quickly, as they have a delicate petal structure. And the leaves need to go through a fermentation process before final drying. A perennial plant produces a strong root system.

Herbalists dig up the roots, clean them from the earth and small branches, wash them from earth and dust, and grind them into small pieces. After complete drying in the shade, the roots are crushed to a flour state. Such flour is used in baking tortillas, it is added to any dishes where flour is required in the recipe.