The Turkish tea recipe
for your table
Put the loose tea in the upper pot of the çaydanlık and fill the lower pot with water. Place the lower pot on the heat and bring the water to a boil.
Pour some of the boiling water over the leaves in the upper pot and place it back on the lower pot. Let the tea steep in the steam for ten to fifteen minutes without letting it come to a boil itself.
Pour the strong tea into the glass, about one-third to one-half full, then top it up with hot water from the lower pot. This lets you decide for each glass whether the tea is koyu, meaning dark, or açık, meaning light.
Place the glass on a saucer and put the sugar cubes beside it, not in it. Top it up as soon as the glass is half empty, because the tea is ready in the pot.
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The story
The tea for a glass of çay comes from Turkey itself: around Rize, on the Black Sea coast, are the tea fields that provide the leaves for daily tea. It is brewed in a çaydanlık, two pots stacked on top of each other. The water boils below, while the leaves steep in the steam above, and because the upper pot never boils by itself, the tea stays usable as long as the lower pot is on. That also explains the size of the glass: whoever pours tea pours more often. The glass is small, tulip-shaped, handleless, and sits on a saucer with the sugar beside it.
The right glass
A real çay bardağı is tulip-shaped, has no handle and holds around 10 cl. You hold it by the wide rim, as that is where the glass is coolest. In our catalogue, a small 14 cl tea glass comes closest: 9.1 cm high, 6.5 cm in diameter, without a handle, with a base that tapers slightly. If the saucer is included, there is a matching saucer from the same series. The full range can be found among the RCR Etna glasses.
RCR Etna Tea Glass 14 cl (6 pieces)
RCR Melodia Tea Glass 14 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 76,95.
The right tools
For Turkish tea, use a fine strainer alongside the glass to keep the leaves out when pouring, and a jigger to measure the ratio of tea to water. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you'll find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 54,85.
What will you pour alongside it?
Turkish tea is alcohol-free and drunk neat, without milk. If you're looking for something stronger to enjoy alongside your tea or later in the evening, start with whisky, cognac or jenever. On each drinks page, you'll find the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it works well in and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
If you don't have a çaydanlık, brew strong tea in a teapot and keep a jug of hot water beside it; mixing it in the glass remains the same. If you prefer it dark, fill the glass with more tea and add less water; for açık, the opposite applies. You can add a slice of lemon, but never milk. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Place each glass on a saucer and put the sugar next to it, so everyone can sweeten their own tea. Keep the glasses half full so the tea stays hot and you can hold the glass by the rim. A tea strainer from the tea strainers keeps the last leaves out of the glass.
Good to know
What is a çaydanlık?
Two pots stacked on top of each other. Water boils in the bottom pot, while the tea leaves steep in the steam in the top pot. This gives you strong tea and hot water to dilute it at the same time, and the tea itself never boils.
Koyu or açık?
Koyu means dark: more strong tea from the top pot, less water. Açık means light: a little tea and the rest hot water. Because you mix it in the glass, everyone at the table gets their preferred strength.
Why are the glasses so small?
A glass of about 10 cl empties quickly and stays hot until the last sip. That is why one large cup is not poured but continually refilled, so you always drink the tea fresh from the pot. Without a handle, hold the glass by its cooler upper rim.
Why is the sugar placed next to it?
The sugar goes on the saucer, not automatically in the glass. Those who want it sweet stir in a sugar cube; those who prefer their tea plain leave it there. That way, nothing needs to be set aside separately at the table.
Where does the tea come from?
The leaves for Turkish tea come from Turkey itself, from the area around Rize on the Black Sea. It is black tea, usually finely broken leaves, and you brew it loose, not in a bag.
Frequently asked questions
What is a çaydanlık?
The double teapot used to brew Turkish tea. The bottom pot boils water, while the tea leaves steep in the steam in the top pot. In the glass, you mix the strong tea from the top pot with the hot water from the bottom pot.
What do koyu and açık mean?
Koyu means dark, strong tea, and açık means light tea. The only difference is the ratio you pour into the glass: more tea from the top pot or more water from the bottom pot.
Why are Turkish tea glasses so small?
They hold about 10 cl, are tulip-shaped and have no handle. Small means they empty quickly and stay hot for a long time, so they are continually refilled instead of filling one large cup.
Which tea do you use for Turkish tea?
Loose-leaf black tea, preferably from the area around Rize on the Black Sea. Allow about one teaspoon per glass and brew it in the top pot, never in a bag in the glass.
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