Name: Butterfly Pea Flower Tea
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon dried butterfly pea flowers; 1 teaspoon thinly sliced lemongrass; ¼ teaspoon grated fresh ginger; 1 (3-inch) strip lime zest , plus lime wedges for serving; 1 cup boiling water

Why This Recipe Works

The tea gets its beautiful hue from the petals of a flower native to Asia and has a lightly woodsy taste, similar to green teas. The preparation of this beverage is simple and requires only a straightforward 10-minute steep, so we paid special attention to the balance of flavors to create a drink that tasted as exciting as it looked. Lemongrass provided the tea with a zippy, citrusy flavor that was only slightly mellowed by the boiling water. To further this stimulating flavor profile, fresh ginger brought a pungent and peppery quality that filled our senses with an energizing feel, while a strip of lime zest (and lime wedges for serving) echoed the citrus from the lemongrass with a pleasant and puckering taste.

Before You Begin

Before slicing lemongrass, trim to bottom 6 inches, then peel and discard tough outer layers. For an accurate measurement of boiling water, bring a kettle of water to a boil and then measure out the desired amount. Butterfly pea flower can be purchased at specialty tea shops, health stores, or online.

Instructions

Add butterfly pea flower, lemongrass, ginger, and lime zest to tea infuser or tea sachet. Steep tea mixture with boiling water in teacup, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove tea infuser and serve immediately with lime wedges.