Cinnamon & Green Tea Punch – Say Cheers!!

Cinnamon & Green Tea Punch
Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 10 mins | Serves 10-12 (serving size: tequila shot glasses)

You Need:

• 1 litre water
• 2 green tea bags * see note#1
• 6 long cinnamon sticks * see note#2
• 2-3 tbsp honey (adjust to taste)
• 4-5 tbsp brown sugar (adjust to taste) *see note#3
• juice of half a lime
• just a pinch of salt

Method:
1. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan and toss in the green tea bags and the cinnamon. Allow to brew for 4-5 minutes on a full flame.
2. Simmer, add sugar and honey, stir till the sugar dissolves. Remove from flame. Add the salt & lime juice.
3. Once it has cooled completely, refrigerate for a couple of hours and serve very chilled in vodka/tequila shot glasses.


Notes:
1. Do not use flavoured green tea like fruity ones (strawberry, lime, peach etc) as it will alter the taste of this punch – unless you want to experiment & prefer it that way.
2. Cinnamon is different from cassia bark which is popularly used in Mangalorean cuisine. Cassia bark is called as ‘thikey sal’ in Konkani and is mistaken to be cinnamon. If you are using Cassia bark use 7 or 8 sticks of 2-3 inches each
3. You may use regular granulated sugar in the place of brown sugar. I used dark brown muscovado sugar. Do not add more than 5 tbsp of sugar for the said quantity of water at the boiling stage as it will taste sugary once it has been cooled down. Excessive sweetness will mask the other flavours – cinnamon & green tea need to be the dominant flavours here.