Thai Iced Tea: How to make it, what it is and what is in Thai tea

From Thailand

Thailand is known for many amazing things, including great food. Stupendous Buddhist culture and temples. The dangerous art of eight limbs; Muay Thai. It is also the home to a fabulous type of tea, Chai Yen, or Thai Iced Tea. This drink is excellent for any season, weather, and time of day. It is cool, refreshing, innervating, and open to your interpretations. Keep reading to discover more about this fantastic iced tea.

What is Thai tea?

Thai tea refers to several variations commonly brewed and prepared in Thailand and Thai restaurants worldwide. Chai Thai is the word used in Thailand to refer to the hot style of tea, but other names are used, like Thai milk tea, for example.

Thai tea is similar to the masala chai, another excellent tea beverage from India and South Asia. The drink itself features Ceylon tea- which is tea from Sri Lanka and often black tea leaves. In addition, various herbs, spices, and condensed or evaporated milk may appear. The iced variation, of course, includes a generous helping of, well, ice! Surprisingly tea has been a newer development in Thailand, so this beverage is on the more contemporary end of the culinary spectrum. That doesn’t make it any less fantastic, though!

What are the ingredients used in Thai tea?

Critical ingredients for Thai Iced Tea include black tea, usually Ceylon black tea or an Assamese. Herbs and spices include star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, tamarind powder, and vanilla. As for milk, it is usually condensed milk or even coconut milk. But now you must be wondering how to make this excellent drink at home yourself.

How to make Thai tea at home from scratch

Here are the ingredients you will need for your Thai Iced Tea:

• 2 tablespoons of loose black tea leaves or pellets
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1-star anise
• ⅛ vanilla bean
• ½ cinnamon stick
• Tamarind powder
• Purified or filtered water
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk
• 2 teaspoons of milk of your choice- coconut is the most authentic!
• ice
• Strainer
• Pot

Here is an excellent recipe from Youtube:

How to brew Thai iced tea at home

• First, pour your purified or filtered water (about 1 cup) into your pot and bring it to a low boil.
• Next, add your tea leaves, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, vanilla bean, and tamarind, and let them simmer together for about 5 minutes.
• Now, strain your ingredients from the remaining mix.
• Then, add sugar and condensed milk and stir until they dissolve.
• Let the mix sit, cool off, and ice the mixture – fill a glass, ensuring the glasses have ice. Let your iced glasses wait in the freezer or fridge for the best results until your mixture cools.
• Carefully pour the tea into the iced glasses, leaving extra room to top off the drink with sweetened condensed milk.
• Finally, add sweetened condensed milk to the top of your tea and enjoy a sweet, energizing, and genuinely refreshing take on black tea. Thai style!

Enjoy your Thai Iced Tea however you want

This is a stunning drink that is sure to become a new favorite. Thai Iced tea is great because it allows for innovation and invention. Why not swap the milk with some citrus? Or perhaps give the hot version a try?