Rain, wind, snow and cold. Even though it is March, the weather is still cold in most of Türkiye, which can make the nights a little melancholic. Yet, these are not the nights to meddle with melancholy as the holy month of Ramadan is here, and we should be cheerful. So, let me share a few delicious hot drinks to lighten up your mood after iftar.
Speaking of hot drinks, black tea is the most consumed beverage in Türkiye. Hot, fresh tea is available in every home and cafe, even in almost all businesses, regardless of summer or winter. Other teas are often consumed to strengthen immunity, especially in winter.
Let's take a look at some popular hot drinks in Türkiye and around the world.
Ihlamur, or linden, tea may be the second most consumed beverage in Türkiye during winter after black tea. Believed to help fight diseases, linden is boiled in a teapot during the winter months. It warms you up even before you drink as it fragrantly brews on the stove. Although linden is widely consumed, many alternatives of antioxidant-rich herbs, spices and fruit mixtures also exist.
Mixed spice tea, also known as simply chai, is an Indian beverage popular in South Asia. It is made by brewing black tea in milk and is often sweetened with sugar. While some variants may include the addition of aromatic herbs and spices, popularly known as Masala chai, the most common preparation is unseasoned. The terms chai latte or chai tea latte are also used to indicate that it is made with steamed milk.
Boza, one of the oldest soft drinks of the Turks and generally preferred more in the winter months, has started to gain popularity again today with its healthy and nutritious benefits. Despite being a centuries-old treat, the origins of this drink are a bit unclear. Although boza has many variations, it is a more or less a dense beverage made by grinding grains such as millet, corn and rice, cooking by adding water and leaving it to ferment after adding sugar. It is served cold with chickpeas and cinnamon.
Matcha is a specially grown and processed ground green tea powder. It was first produced in the 10th century. Traditionally, it is used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. It is also used as a food additive in wagashi desserts, ice cream with green tea and a dish called soba.
Known to originate from Mexico, hot chocolate is generally consumed for pleasure and has many health benefits. Studies show that hot chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants that can be beneficial to health. From the 16th to the 19th centuries, hot chocolate was valued as a beverage and a medicine.
Salep was a popular beverage in the lands of the Ottoman Empire. Its consumption spread to England and Germany before the rise of coffee and tea, after which it was offered as an alternative beverage in coffee shops. Salep flour is made from the tubers of Orchis genus orchids. These tubers contain a nutritious, starchy polysaccharide called glucomannan. Two species of the orchids, Orchis palustris and Dactylorhiza osmanica, are native to the Kahramanmaraş region. The famous Maraş ice cream is made from salep grown in this area.
Lastly, there is also somata to enjoy on these cold Ramadan nights. It is said that the syrup obtained from bitter and sweet almonds originates in Greek culture and was transferred to our culture by the Greek immigrants who came to Anatolia. Also known as the Cretan drink, let me share the recipe for this delicious drink that has been forsaken and forgotten by most.
Ingredients
Instructions
Soak the almonds in separate containers in hot water until they are soft. Peel, dry thoroughly and pound them in a mortar. Add granulated sugar and water to the almonds in the pot and boil them on low heat by stirring. When your sherbet turns milky, turn off the heat, pour the drink into a bottle and put it in the refrigerator. If you want to consume it hot, add half a glass of water to your syrup – after it has been cooled in the fridge, and boil it in the coffee pot. Garnish with cinnamon.
