Tangsa, Brews

Tangsa: Making of Tea

The first tea-makers of India

Key Takeaways

  • Traditional Way of Bamboo Tea Making of Tangsa Tribe
  • Smoking process of Tea
  • The tea is made into a solidified form or a a solidified tea block.

Tea is one of the largest cash crops grown in India. It is believed that the Tangsa Tribe were the first tea makers and producers of India. Tangsas process tea leaves following their traditional methodology which provides for natural preservation of the roasted dry tea for centuries. The women of the community pluck tea leaves during the prime season. After plucking, the tea leaves are boiled and dried.

When the tea leaves are fully dried, they crush it and then the roasting process starts. The dried tea leaves are stuffed in a fresh bamboo tube and compressed by pounding it inside the tube. A little water is added before putting the tube on fire, so that the bamboo does not burn from inside. It is kept for 15-20 minutes and then a small amount of water is added and then again it is pounded to compress the leaves.

This process is repeated three to four times until the leaves get fully compressed in a single solidified form. Warm water is added to the solidified tea block and tea is ready to serve.

Tea making process

Tags: Geography

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