Thai Tea Recipe

Boil and steep

Bring 1000 ml of water to a rolling boil in a kettle or saucepan. Add the 6 tablespoons of Thai tea leaves (or strong black tea) along with the star anise and crushed cardamom pods. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and steep for 5–7 minutes for a strong infusion (longer for deeper color and flavor, up to 10 minutes).

Strain

Remove from heat and strain the tea through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a heatproof pitcher, pressing gently on the leaves to extract color and flavor. Discard solids.

Dissolve sugar

While the tea is still hot (but off the heat), stir in 150 g granulated sugar until fully dissolved. If using, add 1 tsp orange blossom water now and stir to combine.

Chill

Let the sweetened tea cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled (at least 1 hour). For faster cooling, transfer to a shallow container and place in an ice bath, or add a few ice cubes and then discard melted water before serving.

Prepare glass

Fill each serving glass with ice cubes (about 1/2 cup of ice per 240 ml serving; recipe yields approximately 4 servings).

Mix milks

In a small jug, combine 240 ml evaporated milk and 120 ml sweetened condensed milk. Stir until smooth. This creates the creamy topping and sweetens further to the classic Thai tea profile.

Pour and layer

Divide the chilled tea evenly among four iced glasses, leaving room at the top for the milk. Slowly pour 60 ml of the evaporated + condensed milk mixture over each glass so it layers and creates a marbled effect. If preferred, stir gently to combine.

Adjust sweetness

Taste and add more sweetened condensed milk or a splash of evaporated milk to adjust sweetness and creaminess to your preference.

Serve

Serve immediately with a straw and stirrer so each drinker can mix their preferred cream level. Optionally garnish with a star anise or a pinch of crushed cardamom on top.