Mòlì huāchá — jasmine tea
Green tea leaves scented with fresh jasmine flowers, infused light and clear. A floral drink, barely bitter, that perfumes the room before the first sip.
Green tea leaves scented with fresh jasmine flowers, infused light and clear. A floral drink, barely bitter, that perfumes the room before the first sip.
I prefer it pale, almost transparent—tea too strong grips your throat and hinders thinking. You pour simmering water, never boiling in big bubbles, over a few rolled leaves, and wait for the jasmine to awaken; then the whole apartment smells of flowers. Near my typewriter, a warm cup, and the page yields more willingly to writing. It is little, tea—but it is to such small warm things that the courage to write clings.
- •Jasmine-scented green tea (rolled leaves) — a pinch (base)
- •Dried jasmine flowers — a few (floral fragrance)
- •Simmering spring water — one teapot (infusion)
Mòlì huāchá — jasmine tea
Green tea leaves scented with fresh jasmine flowers, infused light and clear. A floral drink, barely bitter, that perfumes the room before the first sip.
Why this dish? Jasmine tea is among the emblematic objects of Eileen Chang's universe; the scent of an urban apartment and writing paper, it is the warm drink set near the typewriter, companion to her long hours bent over her Shanghai stories.
I prefer it pale, almost transparent—tea too strong grips your throat and hinders thinking. You pour simmering water, never boiling in big bubbles, over a few rolled leaves, and wait for the jasmine to awaken; then the whole apartment smells of flowers. Near my typewriter, a warm cup, and the page yields more willingly to writing. It is little, tea—but it is to such small warm things that the courage to write clings.
Ingredients (period version)
- Jasmine-scented green tea (rolled leaves) — a pinch (base)
- Dried jasmine flowers — a few (floral fragrance)
- Simmering spring water — one teapot (infusion)
Ingredients
- Jasmine green tea leaves — 3 g (1 heaped tsp) per 250 ml (base)
- Filtered water at 80–85 °C — 250 ml (infusion)
- A few dried jasmine flowers (optional) — 3–4 (enhanced fragrance)
Method
- Heat water until simmering, then let it cool to 80–85 °C (small bubbles, not rolling boil).
- Quickly rinse the teapot and cups with hot water to warm them.
- Place the jasmine tea, pour water, and steep for only 1–2 minutes to keep it clear and floral.
- Serve in small handleless cups; the same leaves can be re-infused two or three times.
How it was made : Jasmine tea is made by layering green tea with freshly picked jasmine flowers at night when they open; the tea absorbs the fragrance, then the flowers are removed. A popular drink throughout northern and eastern China, it was ubiquitous in Shanghai homes and offices.
The contemporary twist : For a summer version, cold-brew in the refrigerator for 4 hours: the jasmine comes through, bitterness fades, yielding a clear, fragrant iced tea without sugar.
Sources : Eileen Chang, essays on Shanghai life, collection 《流言》 (Written on Water) · John Blofeld, The Chinese Art of Tea (1985)
Eileen Chang · Charactorium