Recipe

Teh tarik recipe

Name: Teh tarik recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons loose black tea or tea dust (or 3 black tea bags); 500 ml water; 4 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk, or to taste; 2 tablespoons evaporated milk (optional, for a creamier body)

Mamak-style pulled milk tea at home: strong, sweet, creamy and frothy. Makes 2 glasses in about 15 minutes.

Prep: 5 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 15 min
Makes: 2 glasses

Ingredients

2 tablespoons loose black tea or tea dust (or 3 black tea bags)
500 ml water
4 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk, or to taste
2 tablespoons evaporated milk (optional, for a creamier body)

Equipment

Small saucepan
Fine sieve or cloth tea strainer
Two heat-proof jugs or mugs with handles
2 glasses

Method

BrewBring the water to a boil, add the tea and simmer gently for 3–5 minutes until the brew is dark and strong.
StrainPour the tea through a fine sieve or cloth strainer into a heat-proof jug.
SweetenStir in the condensed milk and evaporated milk until fully dissolved. Taste and adjust the sweetness.
PullPour the tea into the second jug from a low height, then back again, raising the height a little each time. Repeat 5–7 times until a thick froth forms.
ServePour into glasses with the froth on top and serve immediately while hot.

Tips for the best teh tarik

Brew it strong. The milk softens the tea a lot; a weak brew tastes flat.
Warm the glasses with hot water so the tea stays hot after pulling.
More pulls, more froth — but every pull also cools the tea.
Less sweet? Like ordering kurang manis: halve the condensed milk.
No condensed milk? Use evaporated milk and sugar to make teh-C — see the varieties.

New to pulling? Practise first with the pulling technique guide, then serve it with roti canai or nasi lemak.