Re: Your favourite teabags …
I know some people like to leave it in and I have done so occasionally but to be honest, the tea just becomes bitter. If you drink it before it gets to that point, then you won’t notice and it’s okay. Also, I find the people who leave it in are usually the ones that don’t brew the tea properly first, so when they add the milk it’s too weak.
So, try heating your cup with some boiling water first so it doesn’t get cold so quickly. Then put the teabag in (I put my sugar in now too). Water to make the tea should be as soon as the kettle has boiled - it shouldn’t be sometime after. Leave a little bit of space for the milk. Now brew for at least a 1 min, stirring occasionally. If you’re using filtered water you can brew for longer, otherwise if you’re in a hard water area, you will get calcium deposits floating on the top which don’t look nice. Then add the milk SLOWLY! This is really important. You should see the milk and tea combine and to make a deep dark caramel colour… it will never look white and milky. Remove the teabag, giving it a little squeeze on the side of the cup, then stir.
The microwave ‘cooks’ the tea giving it the kind of taste you get from cooked desi chai. I’m getting a feeling that you quite like that taste, but it is different.