Assam is the home to some of the most amazing tea gardens in India, serving over half of the country, a delectable cuppa every morning. And so, it is bound to have its own share of unique tea, isn’t it? Ronga Saah is one such hot beverage that Assam holds close to itself. An Assamese word literally translating to red tea or Lal Cha, Ronga Saah is reddish-brown in colour and is famous in Assam, Sikkim, and surrounding regions of Arunachal and Meghalaya. One cannot ignore it while on a road trip or in between a train journey in these regions. The reason of its popularity has to do something with its vibrant colour obviously, but also the fact that it is pure tea leaves devoid of any spices and milk. The mild flavour just gets on with everyone who taste it once. The tea leaves of Ronga Saah are specially grown for lending a light taste which tends to soothe our taste buds.
Another reason people like Lal Cha is also for the fact that it is believed to aid digestion. The absence of milk in the tea makes it a safe option to keep away acidity, if you tend to drink more cups of tea through the day. It is also said to serves as an anti-oxidant, preventing cold, cough and flu. A lot of people in Assam prefer to drink Ronga Saah with an addition of honey which further uplifts the taste and aroma of it. Honey again has its own share of benefits.
History Of Ronga Saah
The red tea is said to have originated from China, and later the tea plants specially for preparing Ronga Saah were discovered in Assam somewhere around 1823. It was when Robert Bruce had visited Assam during his trading business activities when he arranged to send the tea plant to the botanical garden where it was discovered to be of the same tea plants that were grown in China. This made way for the first tea estate in Assam in 1839, which produced different varieties of tea plants including the Ronga Saah tea leaves.
How To Make Ronga Saah Tea At Home
If you happen to get your hands on the Ronga Saah tea leaves from Assam, we’ve got the perfect recipe for you to prepare it at home.
Ingredients
- Water – 1 cup
- Ronga Saah tea powder – 1 tsp
- Honey/Sugar (optional) 1 tsp
Method
1. Boil water in a pan or a tea kettle for a sufficient time.
2. Add the tea leaves to boiling water and let it simmer for a while.
3. Switch off the flame and allow the tea leaves to settle down for some time and then stain it into a cup.
4. Add sugar or honey if you want it to be a little sweet.
