We all know how great Asian food and snacks can be. But have you ever stopped to consider the drinks, many of which such as tea are now common staples outside across the world? In this article we are going to take a look at some of the most famous drinks from across Asia.
Chinese Tea
Tea originated in Southwest China and became a popular beverage during the Tang Dynasty over 1000 years ago. Due to its popularity, tea drinking spread to other parts of Asia including India.
There are six main types of tea which are categorised according to the processing involved. After being picked tea naturally wilts and oxidises. The different tea variations are created by drying at different stages of the wilting and oxidation process. For instance, green tea is unwilted and unoxidised whereas black tea is wilted and oxidised.
Krating Daeng
Krating Daeng is a sweetened and non carbonated energy drink that first originated in Thailand in 1975.
If someone asked you whether you have heard of Krating Daeng, the answer would most probably be no. However if someone asked you whether you have heard of Red Bull the answer is highly likely to be yes.
The irony is the fact that this famous and well marketed drink is actually based on Krating Daeng and was manipulated to suit Western tastes. Dietrich Mateschitz, the founder of Red Bull, first tasted Krating Daeng on a trip to Thailand in the 1980’s where he was amazed about the drink’s ability to cure jet lag.
Bubble Tea
Bubble tea first appeared in 1980’s Taiwan where it became popular in the cities of Tainan and Taichung where it was given the name “zhen zhou nai cha”. Since then it has seen a huge explosion in popularity and there are bubble tea shops across the world including the UK.
There is not a standard type of bubble tea although it typically comes served iced, sweet and with a tea base. Tapioca pearls are often added too which have a chewy jelly like texture and a eaten whilst drinking the tea through an enlarged straw.
Sake
Sake is a form of rice wine originating from Japan that is made by fermenting rice. The brewing process is more like beer than wine. The starch is broken down into sugars which are in turn fermented into alcohol. The alcohol content is higher than wines and beer at around 18%.
Sake in Japanese can be used to refer to any alcoholic drink however the rice wine which is known to us has become an integral part of Japanese culture. For instance, a special variety called toso is drunk to welcome in a new year. Furthermore, it is usually the drink of choice at special events such as weddings and birthdays.
Soy Milk
Another drink originating from China and popular in the west with vegans, those with lactose intolerance and those with high environmental conscience. Soy milk is produced by drying soybeans (a popular product in Chinese and Asian cuisine), grinding the dried soybeans in water, before boiling the resulting mixture and removing any unwanted residue through filtering.
Due to its taste and properties soy milk is a regularly component of many Asian dishes including the skin layer of tofu and as a base of soups such as nabemono soup in Japan and kongguksu soup in Korea. Soy milk is also used in the production of yogurts, ice cream and even cheese.
Conclusion
So there we go, there is way more to Asian food and beverages than food. In actual fact we could have easily made this list 100 great drinks instead of 5. At Chimasu, we offer the option of receiving Chinese teas in your monthly box. Take a look at our snacks page for more information.
