Karak Chai (Gulf-Style Spiced Milk Tea)
Strong, creamy, cardamom-scented tea simmered with evaporated milk and sugar, the way it is served at roadside tea stalls across the Gulf. Bold, sweet and warming, it comes together in 15 minutes.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Wait
- 2 min
- Total
- 19 min
- Makes
- About 4 cups (4 small mugs, roughly 200 ml each)
Steps
Before you start
- Use loose-leaf or CTC black tea, or plain black tea bags (such as Lipton or Red Label). Delicate teas like Darjeeling will taste thin against the milk.
- Lightly crush the cardamom pods just before using so they release the most aroma.
- Use a saucepan with a capacity of at least 1.5 liters (6 cups) because the tea foams up and can boil over quickly.
- Karak is traditionally quite sweet. Start with the lower amount of sugar and add more at the end if you like.
Crush the spices
- Place the cardamom pods on a cutting board and press down firmly with the flat side of a knife, or tap in a mortar, until the husks split open but the pods stay mostly intact.
- If using ginger, peel and finely grate 1 teaspoon.
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Ready when: The husks are split and the black seeds are visible; you can smell the cardamom.
Tip: Crush pods just before cooking, because the aroma fades quickly once the husk is opened.
Boil the spiced water
- Pour 2 cups (480 ml) cold water into the saucepan.
- Add the crushed cardamom, the ginger and the saffron, if using.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, about 4 minutes.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break steadily across the surface and the water smells of cardamom.
Simmer the tea
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the tea leaves (or tea bags) and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the liquid is very dark.
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Ready when: The liquid is deep reddish-brown, almost opaque, and smells robust.
Tip: Do not walk away for long. Strong tea simmered too long turns bitter.
Add milk and sugar
- Pour in 1 cup (240 ml) evaporated milk and add 3 tablespoons (38 g) sugar.
- Stir to dissolve the sugar.
- Turn the heat to medium-high.
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Ready when: The tea turns a creamy caramel-tan color and the sugar is no longer gritty on the spoon.
Bring to a foam and lower
- Heat until the tea rises and foams to just below the rim of the pan, about 2 minutes.
- Immediately lower the heat to medium-low, let the foam settle, then bring it to a rise once more.
- Repeat 2 to 3 times in total.
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Ready when: The tea is rich, slightly thickened and a uniform dark tan color after 2 to 3 rises.
Tip: Stay beside the pan: milk teas boil over in seconds. Lift the pan off the heat if it climbs too fast.
Rest briefly
- Turn off the heat and let the tea sit, covered, for 1 minute so the flavors meld.
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Ready when: The foam has settled and the aroma is strongly spiced.
Strain and serve
- Pour the tea through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher or directly into 4 small mugs.
- Taste and stir in up to 1 tablespoon more sugar if you want it sweeter.
- Serve piping hot.
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Ready when: The tea is hot, smooth and free of leaves and spice pieces.
Tip: Pouring from a height cools it slightly and adds a light froth, as is done at tea stalls.
Good to know
Tips
- Use strong, robust black tea; it needs to stand up to the sweet evaporated milk.
- Evaporated milk is what gives karak its signature creamy, slightly caramelized flavor. Regular milk will taste noticeably lighter.
- Letting the tea rise and settle several times rather than boiling it hard builds a deeper flavor with less risk of bitterness.
- For an iced version, chill the strained tea thoroughly and serve over ice.
Storage & reheating
Best served immediately. Refrigerate strained tea in a covered container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, or in the microwave in 30-second bursts, until steaming. Not recommended for freezing, though it can be frozen in ice cube trays for iced karak for up to 1 month.
Substitutions
- evaporated milk → 1/2 cup whole milk plus 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk, reducing the sugar to taste. Whole milk gives a lighter body; condensed milk adds sweetness so cut the sugar to 1 tablespoon or omit it.
- granulated sugar → brown sugar or honey. Brown sugar adds a caramel note; add honey after straining so heat does not dull its flavor.
- green cardamom pods → 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom. Add with the tea; the flavor is a little less fragrant and the tea may be slightly cloudy.
- loose black tea leaves (CTC) or 4 black tea bags → Assam or strong English breakfast tea bags. Use 4 bags, and steep for the same 3 minutes.