Delicious Tea Recipes

Culturally speaking, Shaah is typically served in a thermos and not as a single serving. Families enjoy Shaah during mealtimes or serve it during gatherings and by keeping it in a thermos, it is a sure-fire way of keeping the tea hot and fresh for a longer time.

Below are a set of directions on various ways of making Shaah. Some are directions on how to make Shaah in a 1L thermos, or in a single-serve cup [250mL].

1. Bring 1L of water to a boil

2. Add ¼ cup and 3 tablespoons of sugar into the water – this is the exact measurement we use for our ideal sugar level

3. Add 3 teabags [or 1 heaping tablespoon of Shaah loose leaf blend] into the thermos

4. Pour the boiling water into the thermos

5. Let steep for approximately 40min

6. Strain the blend from the tea – this is so that it does not over-steep

It is now ready to serve!

*Sometimes, to make it creamy and easy to drink on the go, we add the creamer into the thermos right before we pour the water in. 

1. Measure 1L of water and pour it into your boiler

2. Add ¼ cup and 3 tablespoons of sugar into the water along with the 3 teabags [or 1 heaping tablespoon of Shaah loose leaf blend]

3. Let it come to a boil

4. Strain the tea from the water as you pour it into the thermos

*If you prefer stronger or more steeped tea, you can keep 1 teabag [or 1 teaspoon of loose leaf blend] in the thermos to continue steeping

*Sometimes, to make it creamy and easy to drink on the go, we add the creamer into the thermos right before we pour the water in. 

1. Instead of water, you will be using a milk base {or milk substitute} in this recipe.

2. Measure 1L worth of milk and pour it into your boiler

3. Add ¼ cup and 3 tablespoons of sugar into the milk along with the 3 teabags [or 1 heaping tablespoon of Shaah loose leaf blend]

4. When you see it start to bubble, mix the tea a little before it comes to a full boil – but be careful since milk can spill over if it boils for longer than a few seconds. Keep a close eye on this, and be sure to strain the tea as you pour it into the thermos 

*If you prefer stronger or more steeped tea, you can keep 1 teabag [or 1 teaspoon of loose leaf blend] in the thermos to continue steeping

1. Put 1 teabag [or 1 teaspoon of Shaah loose lead blend] into your cup

2. Add 1 ½ tablespoon of sugar into your cup

3. Pour hot water over this blend and mix well

4. Steep for 3-5min

5. Strain the blend from the cup

Add your creamer of choice and it is ready!

1. Measure your cup’s worth of water and pour it into your boiler 

2. Put your teabag [or 1 teaspoon of Shaah loose leaf blend] along with 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar into the water

3. Let it come to a boil

4. Strain the tea blend from the water and pour it back into your cup

 Add your creamer of choice and it is ready!

1. This will have a milk base {or milk substitute} instead of water

2. Measure your cup’s worth of milk and pour it into your boiler

3. Put your teabag [or 1 teaspoon of Shaah loose leaf blend] along with 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar into the milk

4. When you see it start to bubble, mix the tea a little before it comes to a full boil – but be careful since milk can spill over if it boils for longer than a few seconds. Keep a close eye on this, and be sure to strain the tea as you pour it into your cup

5. Strain the tea blend from the water and pour it back into your cup

You can also add additional ingredients to the tea to customize it to your liking. For example: some people might like to add freshly grated ginger to their tea, and that can be added to boiling water/milk before straining the tea. Also, if you are someone who likes stronger flavoured tea, you can leave a teabag in your cup/thermos to allow the tea to continue steeping. 

For creamer options, we add a mix of evaporated milk and 10% fat cream (half & half) at a 50:50 ratio. For the 1L thermos tea instructions [not including the latte version], we would add 1/4 cup of each (to make it 1/2 cup of the cream mixture) into the thermos. This gives it a distinct creamy flavour, for those who like extra creamy teas.

Hopefully this gave you an idea of how our authentic Somali Tea tastes like when made using our methods and measurements. Enjoy your tea, and let us know what you thought by tagging us @shaahtea