The rains and the Nor’westers and the recent hail showers have brought much needed relief to Kolkatans after a scorching month, but any human living in the tropical realm knows that May is just the beginning of the sultry months. And nothing beats a cool, refreshing drink on a hot summer day. If it is a low-calorie, sugar free concoction — bonus points!

A quick and easy way to treat yourself to a drink that is deceptively simple to make but will give you all the fancy feels is a homemade iced tea. The best part, this recipe can be customised — fruity or fizzy, sugar free or sweet — to suit the tastebuds of everyone in the house, which means it is perfect for your house parties too.

The base: To create the ‘base’ of this ice tea, you will need your favourite loose-leaf tea, preferably Darjeeling and some water. Boil some water and brew a slightly stronger version of your favourite Darjeeling tea. Strain the tea and add some water. We recommend ½ cup of water for every one cup of tea. So if you have brewed four cups of tea, add two cups of water.

Let the brew cool down, transfer to a glass bottle and put it in the fridge to chill. This is the base for your drink and will stay fresh in the fridge for at least 2-3 days.

The customised cuppa: You can use this base to create multiple flavours and types of iced tea. Adding sugar to sweeten the drink is optional, and completely up to your tastebuds and eating habits. Here are some recommendations:

• Juice some lemons and mix it with some sweetener, sugar, jaggery or honey. Add some mint leaves and muddle the mix, top it up with water and the ice tea base for a classic lemon iced tea
• Juice a fruit of your choice or use a packaged juice and mix it up with the iced tea base in a 40:60 juice to tea ratio for a fruity iced tea. If you like the taste of tea more than fruit, go for a 50:50 mix. We recommend orange, cranberry, jamun, mango, watermelon and berry flavours

• Muddle berries and mint with some sugar or sweetener with a splash of water, add the iced tea base and top it with some soda for a fruity fizzy iced tea
• Are you a fan of tea-flavoured cocktails? Use the iced tea to make a tipple of your choice. Tea pairs well with herby and clear drinks, like gin and white rum, along with citrus and berry flavours.

— Rumela Basu

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