Buying raw tea leaves from Nuwara Eliya estates for culinary smoking
5 Answers from travellers
Commercial estates do not sell raw green leaves to tourists because the flush begins to wilt and ferment almost immediately after plucking. However, if you take a factory tour at Pedro Estate, you can politely ask a floor manager for a small handful of raw leaves for an experiment. Honestly though, using their high-grade dried BOPF black tea mixed with raw sugar and rice in a wok creates a much better, consistent smoking base for chicken.
Be very careful smoking with pure tea leaves, whether green or black. If the heat is too high, it releases harsh tannins and will make the meat taste incredibly bitter.
If you stop by a small independent tea smallholder on the side of the road, they will happily give you a branch of fresh green leaves if you buy a cup of tea from them.
Take the tasting tours at the factories first! Tasting the different grades will help you figure out if you want a light, floral BOP or a strong, malty Dust grade for your cooking.
You can also use strongly brewed Nuwara Eliya black tea as a tenderizing marinade base for local beef curries. It adds an amazing earthy depth to the dish.
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