Crush, tear, curl — usually shortened to CTC — is the mechanical process that turns withered tea leaves into the small, hard granules used for strong, quick-brewing black teas. After withering, the leaves pass through a CTC machine whose contra-rotating, toothed rollers crush the leaf, tear it apart, and curl the fragments into compact pellets. The heavy maceration ruptures the cells completely, exposing the juices to air so oxidation runs fast and deep, which is why CTC teas brew into dark, brisk, malty liquors. They are the backbone of most tea bags and of masala chai, where the small particles release flavour and colour rapidly in hot milk. CTC stands apart from orthodox manufacture, where leaves are rolled whole and keep a larger, more delicate character.