Cha manao (iced lime tea)

Cha manao, literally tea with lime, belongs to the Thai tradition of iced tea drinks sold from street carts, shophouse counters and market stalls, where tea brewed strong enough to withstand ice is the common starting point. Its makers are the drink vendors of Bangkok and the central region, who treat it as the plain, sharp companion to the sweeter cha yen. No founding date or inventor is supported by the authorities, and none is offered here.

Cha manao is black tea, Camellia sinensis, brewed strong and sweetened while hot, then poured over ice and soured with the juice of limes, Citrus aurantiifolia, the small thin-skinned green fruit called manao in Thai. It is served unclouded by milk, amber to deep russet in the glass, and tastes of tea, sugar and sharp lime in that order. The sweetener is dissolved in the hot tea or in syrup so that it carries evenly through the cold drink, and a wedge or a few drops of lime juice complete it.

Cha manao is drunk with the rich, fried and chilli-hot dishes of the street table, such as grilled meats, fried rice and curries, and in the heat of the afternoon on its own. The reason is structural: the tannin of the tea and the acid of the lime cut through fat and rinse the mouth, while the sugar softens the chilli. Without milk, nothing coats the palate, and each mouthful of food begins clean.