← Nouns Cooking · Thai

Ingredients

• 5 g dried butterfly pea flowers (about ¼ cup)
• 500 ml hot water
• 100 g Sugar
• 100 ml water, for the syrup
• 120 ml lemon or lime juice (3–4 fruit)
• 250 ml Sparkling water (optional)
• 720 ml Ice

Method

1. Pour the hot water over the flowers and steep for 10 min, until the water is a deep, inky blue. Strain and leave to cool for 15 min (or chill it).
2. Gently heat the sugar and 100 ml water, stirring, until the sugar dissolves into a clear syrup. Let it cool.
3. Fill four glasses with ice. Add some syrup and lemon juice to each, then top with sparkling water if you like.
4. Slowly pour the blue tea over the back of a spoon so it floats on top, then stir at the table and watch it turn purple.

Tips

• The colour change is a natural reaction between the flower and the acid in the lemon.
• Avoid butterfly pea tea if you are pregnant; there is little research on its safety.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Rachel Cooks Thai Hungry in Thailand