"Teh Botol"-inspired Jasmine Iced Tea

This year, and especially the months of July and August has been the warmest I had ever experienced here in Greece. And nothing quenches and refreshes as much as iced tea. And the best sort of milkless iced tea that I love is Teh Botol.

What is Teh Botol?

Teh Botol literally means Bottled Tea in Malay/Indonesian. Its produced by Sosro, and its sweetened ice cold Jasmine Tea (and when I say sweet, I mean SWEET.) I bought this box of sugar-laden Jasmine high from a shop in Ambelokipi called 'Salamat'. 

But when I went to Bali a couple of years back, I ventured around the supermarkets and found a box of Sosro Heritage Jasmine Tea. And they smell heavenly strong. I bought one, and brought it back here to Athens. And every summer, I make a bottle or 7 of these teas and let them chill in the fridge. Sugarless, of course, since I don't drink sugar. But I usually provide a small jug of syrup by the side for George or anyone else who likes their drinks sweet.

I know that its rather difficult to find these particular teabags, and you can find other brands/types of Jasmine Tea out there. Just double the amount of teabags so that it is stronger in flavour and smell.

Ingredients (for 1 litre of of tea which makes about 4 glasses of tea):

1 Sosro Heritage Jasmine Tea bag

1 litre of recently boiled water

Sugar, to taste.

Ice

Syrup (of the Gula Melaka-kind or normal)

Preparation:

Boil the water as you would do to make normal tea. In a heatproof jug or container, into the recently boiled water and add the tea bag. At this point, add the sugar according to your personal taste. Stir, let steep and cool. Once cool enough, remove and discard the tea bag, and put the tea in the fridge until ice cold.

Serve it with ice, and a small jug of syrup by the side for additional sweetness.

Stin Ygeia Mas!