Tea boiling over and spilling across the stove is a mess most home cooks deal with, and it often means less tea ends up in the cup too. Sarita Kumari from Sultanpur has shared a set of simple kitchen habits that keep tea from spilling over while it boils.
Keep the flame at medium, not high
According to Sarita Kumari, the flame should always stay at a medium setting while tea is being made. A high flame heats the milk and water too quickly, so as soon as the mixture starts boiling, foam rushes upward and spills over the rim. On a medium flame, the tea heats gradually, giving the foam time to settle instead of overflowing.
Pick a pot with room to spare
A small pot leaves the foam almost nowhere to go once the tea starts boiling, so it climbs over the edge within seconds. It helps to use a pot large enough that plenty of space remains above the milk and water. That empty space gives the foam room to expand as it boils, letting the tea cook without spilling onto the stove.
Lower the heat the moment it first bubbles
The instant the tea shows its first bubble, the flame should be turned down right away. Skipping this step lets the foam keep rising, and within seconds it spills past the rim. Many people leave the flame high even after the tea starts bubbling, which is exactly why it keeps overflowing, a problem a little attentiveness can easily prevent.
Stay near the stove while it cooks
Walking off to do something else right after putting the tea on is one of the most common reasons it boils over. Sarita Kumari suggests standing close to the stove for the few minutes the tea takes to cook, watching the pot closely. As soon as foam starts climbing, lower the flame and lift the pot slightly off the burner. That small habit alone can keep the tea from spilling.
Tilt the pot slightly if it keeps overflowing
Some pots cause tea to spill over again and again, and in that case tilting the pot a little to one side as it boils can help. This makes the foam spread sideways instead of rising straight up and over the edge. Doing this needs care though, so the hot liquid does not splash onto a hand or the burner.
Don't overfill the pot, and skim off the foam
Filling the pot with milk and water right up to the brim leaves no room for the tea to boil safely, so some space should always be left empty. Once the tea begins to bubble, the foam gathering on top can be scooped out with a strainer, since that very foam is what eventually spills over the sides.
Give it an occasional stir
Stirring the tea with a spoon every so often while it cooks also helps keep it from overflowing. A stir or two, both before the boil starts and while it is underway, eases the pressure building up in the foam so it does not suddenly surge upward. This small habit noticeably cuts the risk of a spill.
If foam rises too fast, pull the pot off the flame
When the foam suddenly starts rising fast, there is no need to panic, simply lift the pot off the stove for a few seconds. The foam settles almost immediately, after which the pot can go back on the flame to finish cooking. This trick is used in nearly every household and does not affect the tea's flavour at all.
