How to use the online timer
Three minutes is the working figure for black tea in a mug or a small pot with water that was genuinely boiling when it went in. This is the plain everyday cup rather than karak, which is a different drink altogether — milk, cardamom and sugar simmered together on the hob for longer, and no more a substitute for this than coffee is.
Pour first, count second, and take the bag or the leaves out at the end rather than leaving them in and topping up. Squeezing a teabag against the side of the mug pushes out tannin and very little flavour. The countdown runs inside this tab, so keep the page open while the tea sits — a closed tab means a forgotten mug.
Past four minutes or so, black tea gives up bitterness faster than anything else, which is why a cup left standing turns sharp and dark rather than stronger and better. If it is too weak, use more leaf rather than more time. Green tea is a different case entirely: it wants cooler water and a much shorter steep, and boiling water scorches it immediately.
Common questions
What happens if I leave the bag in longer?
It gets bitter rather than stronger. Black tea gives up tannin faster than flavour after about four minutes, so use more leaf rather than more time if the cup is coming out weak.
Is this the same as karak?
No. Karak is milk, tea, cardamom and sugar simmered together on the hob for several minutes, which is a different drink and a different method. This timing is for plain black tea steeped in a mug or pot.
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