Matum tea from Thailand: how to brew?

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

The tea market is striking in its diversity. Here you can find not only the usual black and green varieties. Recently, the range has replenished with a huge number of exotic species, including Thai matum tea.

Bail Tree Fruits: Historical Facts

The Hindustan peninsula is the birthplace of the bail tree, which also has other names: wood or stone apple, matum. Its fruits are used to make medicinal tea. Mentions of the medicinal properties of the plant can be found in the ancient treatises of the Ayurveda medical system, which were written in Sanskrit. Bail fruits were used as a he althy food, and were also used in medical practice.

Over time, the plant has spread to other regions of South Asia, including Thailand.

Description of the plant

The bail tree is a representative of the rue family. Its fruits are considered very beneficial for he alth, so the people of Thailand make matum tea from them.

The appearance of the fruit resembles an apple or quince. The diameter is approximately 20 cm. The color range varies fromgrey-green to yellow-brown. The fruits have a rough and dense peel, in its structure it can be compared with a nut shell. If you open an unripe fruit, the pulp of the fruit will be divided into orange segments. The bones are white. In a mature fruit, the pulp has a sticky texture and is colored brown. Ripe fruit tastes sweet and sour.

Where are the fruits used?

The plant is cultivated in many Asian countries:

• Sri Lanka.
• Thailand.
• Malaysia.
• India.
• Indonesia.

Quite often the tree can be found in the wild.

The fruits have a very hard shell, which is why the plant is often called a stone or wooden apple. Without special tools, it is very difficult to open them.

The fruits are used in the production of a variety of foods and drinks. Ice cream, compotes and jams, fruit salads are prepared from them. But matum tea, which uses the dried fruits of the bail tree, has gained particular popularity. It is almost impossible to buy fresh fruits in the markets of Thailand. The fruits are sold either dried or as a tea.

Useful properties

The fruits of the bail tree, as noted in Ayurveda, are among the ten most useful. Diseases such as diarrhea, gastric and duodenal ulcers, dysentery and other digestive disorders were cured using matum tea. The properties of the plant are truly unique:

• Fruits contain a huge amount of useful minerals, as well as vitamins.
• Drink from dried fruits of the bail tree helps restore intestinal motility, normalize the digestive tract. This remedy is effective for stomach pain, bloating, colic and diarrhea.
• Matum tea has anti-inflammatory and expectorant effects, so it is used to treat colds. They are treated with bronchitis, tonsillitis, tonsillitis and other respiratory diseases.
• Dried fruits have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system, improve immune processes in the body.
• A heavy smoker's lungs will be cleared of nicotine if he regularly consumes matum tea.

Useful properties contain not only the fruits of the bail tree. South Asians have used the bark, roots and leaves of this plant for medicinal purposes for centuries.

Vitamins and minerals

The composition of matum fruits includes important trace elements and vitamins necessary for normal human life:

• Iron. This substance is responsible for enriching the body with oxygen. Its deficiency leads to diseases such as anemia.
• Calcium. This is a fairly important trace element that affects the formation of bones, is involved in blood clotting processes and in the metabolism of carbohydrates, water and sodium chloride. The lack of a substance provokes the development of osteoporosis, leads to a deterioration in the condition of the teeth, impairs memory and increases nervousness.
• Phosphorus. This microelement isan integral part of ATP, the acid responsible for metabolic processes in the human body. Phosphorus is part of DNA and RNA, which are carriers of genetic information, is involved in the formation of bone and dental tissues.
• Vitamin C. Helps fight various infections and prevents the oxidation of vitamins that enter the body.
• Vitamin A is a regulator of immune processes.

Matum tea has become very popular in Thailand and beyond due to its unique properties. Many tourists who have visited this country, returning from vacation, bring it as a present to their friends and relatives. Indeed, this is a great gift, as this drink is not only tasty, but also he althy.

Brewing Methods

Buy exotic fruit brew - that's not all. You need to know how to properly prepare matum tea. Let's take a closer look at how to brew a drink.

There are several cooking methods:

1. We take 2-3 slices of dried fruit and pour 1 liter of boiling water. Infuse the drink for 20-30 minutes.
2. Pour 1 liter of water into a saucepan. Add 3-4 pieces of matum tea. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.
3. Put one slice of exotic fruit into a 200-300 ml cup. Pour boiling water into a container and let it brew for 5-7 minutes.

The taste of tea is pleasant and sweetish, a bit like an infusion of licorice root. Aroma with subtle notes of vanilla and cinnamon. To give the drink a more refinedtaste, mint, lime or lemon are added to it. You can sweeten tea with sugar or honey.

In the hot season, it is customary to add a few pieces of ice to the drink.

Contraindications

Matum tea from Thailand is good for both adults and children. The only contraindication to taking the drink is individual intolerance to the fruit.

Benefits for pregnant women and children

Since the fruits of the bail tree contain important, useful trace elements and vitamins, a drink from them is recommended for pregnant women. Tea will help strengthen the body of the expectant mother and child.

For the full development of the baby requires a huge amount of trace elements and vitamins that he borrows from the mother's body. Matum tea will help replenish their reserves.

The fruits of bail contain calcium, which is so necessary for the formation of the skeleton and bone tissues of the child. However, the lack of this microelement leads to the fact that the condition of the teeth and hair worsens in a woman, brittle nails occur. Pregnant women are not just allowed - they need to drink matum (tea).

Drink reviews

Many of our compatriots who have tried the action of Thai tea leave only positive reviews about this drink. Its unusual taste qualities, as well as positive properties, are highly appreciated. Most consumers note that tea is very effective for colds. After several doses of the drink, an improvement in the patient's condition is observed. Also teahas a positive effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and helps to strengthen the immune system.

Other popular teas from Thailand

Thai people are very fond of various teas that have an exotic taste (at least for the citizens of Russia and Europe). Consider the most popular drinks of this country:

• Ginseng tea. This drink has a specific taste and aroma. But, according to the Thais, it has a rejuvenating effect and helps keep the body in good shape. Ginseng tea has a beneficial effect on vision and blood formation, helps to improve memory. Thai doctors recommend drinking this drink in order to improve immunity.
• Oolong. This is green tea. The drink has a creamy aroma and a slight milky tint on the palate. It is not recommended to add spices or sugar to it, as the tea will lose its natural zest. Although the drink has a mild taste and a slight sweet aftertaste, it is a powerful stimulant. It is recommended for people involved in sports.
• Lemongrass. This drink has antidepressant and analgesic properties. It is brewed from dried tea leaves and lemongrass. The finished drink has a lemon aroma, and there are notes of a lemon-coffee mixture and spices in the taste. Served cold.
• Thai blue tea. This exotic drink is prepared from orchid leaves. The tea has a unique blue hue. Its beneficial properties include blood purification, memory improvement, maintaining tone and improving vision.
• Jasmine tea. The composition of the drink includes petalsjasmine and young green tea leaves. The smell is slightly sweet, but the taste is astringent. The drink promotes relaxation, helps with neuroses, insomnia and depression.