Cha Gao, also known as puerh resin, tea paste, is not tea, but a concentrate of tea tree leaves. The preparation of this paste is quite labour intensive: the tea leaves are boiled in a cauldron for more than 24 hours with constant stirring and a temperature of no more than 75°C. After the water evaporates, the resinous substance of Cha Gao remains on the bottom and walls of the cauldron, which is rolled into balls or formed into plates.
If all the conditions of preparation are observed, Cha Gao retains all the useful substances of Puerh. Now Cha Gao is made by cryoextraction - the leaf is gradually dried at low temperatures. This method makes the tea paste a more affordable product. To make the drink, one plate of tea resin is brewed with 500ml of boiling water. Playing with the amount of tea and water, you can prepare a mild, refreshing, tonic drink with a pleasant nutty flavour or a real natural energiser for a sleepless night.
In addition, Cha Gao is good as an antioxidant, immune stimulant and effective for hangovers.