Teh Tarik (Malaysian Pulled Tea)

About This Recipe

Teh tarik — literally 'pulled tea' — is Malaysia's most beloved beverage and a cornerstone of mamak (Tamil Muslim) coffee shop culture. At its simplest it is black tea brewed strong, sweetened with condensed milk, and pulled by pouring repeatedly between two vessels held at increasing heights, the stream of tea aerating into a frothy, velvet-textured drink. In the hands of a skilled teh tarik master at a mamak stall, the pulling becomes performance art — the stream arcing dramatically overhead without spilling a drop. The result tastes nothing like tea from a bag in a cup: the condensed milk melds with the tannins into something creamy and caramel-tinged, the aeration softens the astringency, and the slight cooling makes it immediately drinkable. Teh tarik is drunk at all hours in Malaysia — with roti canai at breakfast, as a mid-morning pick-me-up, and at 2am in mamak restaurants that never close.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 2 tspCTC black tea leaves (Boh Cameronian or strong Assam)(or 3 strong black tea bags)
• 400 mlboiling water
• 4 tbspsweetened condensed milk (adjust to taste)
• 1 tbspevaporated milk (optional, for creamier texture)

Instructions

1. 1

   Brew the tea

   Place tea leaves in a heatproof jug. Pour 400ml boiling water over and steep 4-5 minutes for a strong, dark brew. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a second jug, pressing the leaves for maximum extraction.

   Under-brewed tea produces a pale, watery teh tarik. The brew should be nearly black.

2. 2

   Add condensed milk

   Add condensed milk (and evaporated milk if using) to the strained tea. Stir briefly.

3. 3

   Pull the tea

   Hold jug A high and pour tea in a thin stream into jug B held low. Raise jug A as high as you comfortably can. Pour from B back to A. Repeat 6-8 times, increasing distance with each pour.

4. 4

   Serve

   After pulling, the tea should have a thick frothy layer on top and a rounder, smoother flavor. Serve immediately in glasses.

Variations

• •

  Teh tarik ais: pour pulled tea over ice for the cold version.

• •

  Teh halia tarik: add 2cm of fresh ginger to the brewing water for a spicy, warming variant.

Storage

Best drunk immediately. The brewed tea base (without milk) keeps refrigerated up to 24 hours. Do not store pulled tea — the froth collapses within minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions