Thai
Gluten freeCha yen
Iced milk tea
Cha yen (ชาเย็น): orange-hued Thai iced tea with condensed and evaporated milk
Cha yen is the sweet, creamy iced tea poured into tall plastic cups at every Bangkok street corner, from Chinatown's Yaowarat Road to the stalls outside office blocks, where it cools down a hot afternoon or a fiery som tam. A strong black tea, traditionally a Thai tea blend with vanilla and star anise notes, is brewed long and sweetened with condensed milk, then poured over crushed ice and topped with evaporated milk that swirls down in pale ribbons. Many shop blends are coloured bright orange; ours uses plain strong black tea with a few spices, so it comes out a natural amber. The usual mistake is brewing it too weak: the ice and milk dilute it, so the tea must taste almost too strong when hot. Chef's tip: strain the tea through a cloth bag twice, pouring from a height; it gives the silky body Thai vendors are known for.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Serves
- 2
- Per serving
- 230 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 4 tbsp loose black tea or Thai tea mixstrong, such as Assam or Ceylon
- 1 green cardamom podlightly crushed
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 4 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
- ¼ cup evaporated milk
- 10 ½ oz crushed ice
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Bring 2 cups water to the boil, add 4 tbsp loose black tea or Thai tea mix, 1 star anise and 1 green cardamom pod, turn the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, until the tea is very dark and smells of spice.
5 minStep 2: Take off the heat, stir in ¼ tsp vanilla extract and leave to steep for 3 more minutes.
3 minStep 3: Strain through a fine cloth or tea sock into a jug, then pour it back through once more. Stir in 2 tbsp sugar and 4 tbsp sweetened condensed milk until dissolved. Taste: it should be strong and sweet.
Step 4: Cool for 10 minutes (or chill if making ahead; it keeps 2 days in the fridge).
10 minStep 5: Fill two tall glasses with 10 ½ oz crushed ice, pour in the tea to three-quarters full and float ¼ cup evaporated milk on top. Stir at the table. Contains caffeine, so serve children a small glass, earlier in the day.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does cha yen take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of star anise?
- ½ tsp aniseeds or fennel seeds per star.
- What can I use instead of green cardamom pod?
- A pinch of ground cardamom per 2 pods.
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