Learning to make Kurdish Tea in Erbil Iraq

 Day 5 here in Erbil was a rare treat I am sure few tourists get.  I was invited to the home of a Kurdish family for dinner and a tea lesson!!

I could not wait for this day!!!

It was a beautiful night.  This rose was outside the apartment building.

I love the picnic style eating here.  They put down the table cloth- which is like the plastic cover we would use to cover those long 6' tables. It is genius!

They put rugs down and then the tablecloth. Makes for easy clearing.

There was so much wonderful food!!

We had: 

Rice, Biryani, Meat and stuffed zucchini dish, Arugula, Naan, red beets, cucumber/tomato salad, chicken, naan, pickles, and a yogurt milk drink.

After dinner was tea!!

I videoed the host making the tea.  I wanted to remember exactly how this process took place.

3 scoops of a black tea with cardamom. Let boil on the stove for 5 minutes.  

This family uses these two teas to make their Kurdish Tea.  They blend these together. 

Adding the tea and letting it heat on the stove.

Here is how to make Iraqi tea-

Put the saucers down, put the cups on the saucers

(you can leave the spoon in or out)

Add one scoop sugar in each cup

Use the strainer and pour about 3/4 full of black tea into the cup

take the strainer off, then fill to the top of the cup with hot water...fill as close as you can to the top.

This was some of the best tea on my trip.  It was not as bitter as some of the other teas I have had.  I assume that is because we just made it, and it had not steeped for way too long.

 

Tonight, we drank tea and ate sunflowers. There will always be something served with the tea. 

I started putting the seeds on my tea saucer.  But then I was told that the shells go on the floor/picnic blanket.  They will be cleaned up later when the blanket is removed.

When we ate dinner, we had the plastic tablecloth down.  When dinner was over, we removed the tablecloth and ate on the picnic blanket that was put down over the carpet.

The mom was a wonderfully sweet lady.  We did not speak each other's language but did have fun drinking tea together!!

I asked if I could take a photo with her.  He son said, yes and that his mom says to take her photo to America!

It was then my turn. I made a second round of tea for myself and those who wanted some.

Here I go...trying my tea. 

I think I did pretty good!  I was only given a few pointers, lol!

I can't remember if I had two or three rounds of tea, lol.  It was really good.

I loved the cat, lol. Made me miss mine even more.

 

Unlike the US, food is served in increments.  It can be spread out over an hour or two.

Stewed turnips came out.  Then about 10 minutes later the fruit.

When the fruit comes out in a Kurdish home that means it is time to leave.

The host then and went and got me the tea that his family uses!  Wow, I was so touched by this.  My friend did tell me that a lot of people blend there tea here.  They will take the teas they like, and they will mix up their own Kurdish blend.

Tea information that I learned on my trip:

Tea here is called Chai.  It is a black Ceylon tea with cardamon.

A teahouse is the second most visited place in Iraq, just after the mosques.

Tea is the number one drink in Iraq.

There are tea houses all over Erbil and some are for men only.  The men sit around- drink tea, play games, talk business, and politics.  

Tea houses in Iraq are called chai khana.

It is becoming more acceptable to women to be allowed in some teahouses.

Iraqis are said to drink 1 pound of tea a month.  In 2021, Iraq was the largest importers of Ceylon tea.

Tea is for rich and poor, old and young.  It is a part of the culture in Iraq.

In the 19th century the governor of Bhagdad turned all the coffee houses into tea houses.

But tea really gained it's popularity when the British army came to Iraq.

 I've heard that people will start their day with Kurdish tea too.  That if they don't they believe they will often have headaches and become dizzy.

If you buy tea along the streets here it is less and .50

Iraqi tea is served in a small cup made of glass called “Istikan” and this word means “East Tea

Can”.  In other countries, I have heard them called Tulip cups, because of the shape.

 Tea is made in a Samovar.  The bottom kettle has the hot water, the top, smaller kettle has the stronger tea concentrate.  You would fill the cup up with around 3/4 of the black tea and then the rest with hot water.  You try to fill the cup up as full as you can.

When tea is served it comes on a saucer, with the cup and a spoon.  The spoons can stick together.  If a man receives two spoons that means he will have two wives.

To cool the tea, some pour the tea in the saucer to drink it.  Some also keep the teacup in the saucer and lift the saucer up to drink from the cup, since the tea can be so hot.

There are a few things that can be added to this tea...a cinnamon stick, a rose bud, saffron, and even a  tea perfume.

Tea is served with dates, sunflower seeds, pistachios, cookies, and other sweet treats. 

The teaspoon is left in the cup when the tea is poured, if left out they think of you as inferior to them.  (I also read that you never serve the spoon in the cup.  It all depends on what part of Iraq you are from.  When served in Erbil, it always had a spoon in the cup when it was brought to me. Yet, when I went to a Kurdish home, he made the tea without the spoon in it.)

People love the clinking of the teaspoon along the teacup as the sugar is stirred in.  The clinking sounds are heard all over shops and bazars.

You will find kiosks of tea sellers on the side of streets, in the bazar, and all along the roads in villages.

Picnics always includes tea.  People will grill their food over wood and charcoal and then put the kettle on.  Some say tea over wood or charcoal is the best.

If you go to someone's house, it is rude for them not to offer tea.  And you usually will have at least 2 cups.

This was an incredible evening. Their kindness was so touching.  There was so much work that went into this meal and I had only met them once. They were so generous.  I will remember this evening forever. 

1 Peter 4:10-11, ESV

10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.