Teh tarik is not your average milk tea beverage as the method to create such a delicious drink requires a pouring process of “pulling” the tea. The beverage is a combination of strong black tea and condensed milk, mixed with hot water.
The teh tarik first came into existence due to the Indian Muslims that arrived at old Malaya for work. In came their long-time tradition of drink stalls, where they would sell tea to workers from the factories and mines. Hence, the tradition has been adopted by the locals, and it became an important part of their daily lives.
The “pulling” method requires two glasses and then pouring the tea from one glass to another. The name teh tarik can literally be translated to “pulled tea” which also describes the process of making the teh tarik via the pulling method. There will be a thick frothy layer on top of the drink and the temperature of the beverage will also be optimised to room temperature, as a result of the “pulling” method.
Teh tarik is best taken with roti canai as the perfect breakfast set to start the day with Malaysian style. Indulge in the delectable teh tarik to start your day strong and fresh by trying out the recipe below.
Ingredients (2 servings):
- 6 tbsp of Ceylon Tea
- 4 tbsp of Condensed Milk
- 500 mL of Water
Directions:
- Soak the Ceylon tea in a large mug with hot water and leave it for 3 minutes. If you prefer a lighter tasting tea or a heavier tasting tea, you can adjust the time of soaking the Ceylon tea to your preferred taste.
- Carry on by adding condensed milk into the mixture. Adjust the amount of condensed milk to your preferred taste as the condensed milk is sweet on its own.
- Prepare another large mug and then begin the ‘pulling method’ by pouring the tea from one mug and into another, with the mug that has the mixture on top and the other mug at the bottom. Do it a few times but make sure it does not exceed 5 times. To allow for a more frothy tea, ‘pull’ the tea higher each time for another several time. The drink is best served warm or cold with a few ice cubes.
Note: To add more foam to the drink, try extending the ‘pulling method’ each time you pour the drink from one cup to another.