Teh Tarik — Malaysian “Pulled Tea”

by Kiran on January 24, 2014 · 64 comments

in Beverages, Malaysia, Teas

… translated as “pulled tea”.

It might sound cliche, but dare I say teh tarik will knock your socks off? A Malaysian staple beverage, I’m already missing teh tarik even more than my usual morning coffee.

Apparently, condensed and evaporated milk has that effect on you.

Teh Tarik | KiranTarun.com

Pulled tea is a direct definition on how to make this concoction. It’s pretty exciting to watch how this beverage is made.

I mean, what’s not to love when your tea is made by pulling it? Don’t give me that blank stare. Here’s a video to help you understand what I’m trying to say.

See, I told you pulled tea is very interesting 😀

Teh Tarik | KiranTarun.com

Everyone talks about how good street foods are in general. But what about beverages? It’s always shoved on the sides, not getting enough acknowledgement.

It’s time to remedy this. Now.

Teh Tarik | KiranTarun.com

We were literally stuffing ourselves with street foods every single day while visiting Malaysia. And with the foods, a must-have for me was teh tarik. Nothing can even compare to the joy of Malaysian pulled tea.

The best meal accompaniment.

Teh Tarik | KiranTarun.com

Except, it should never be consumed as a thirst quencher. Savor every drop of it.

Teh Tarik | KiranTarun.com

Print This Recipe Print This Recipe

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups of water
  • 4 heaping tbsp black tea leaves
  • a few tablespoons of condensed milk (to taste)
  • equal tablespoons of evaporated milk

Directions:

  1. Add water into a deep saucepan. Heat it on high and bring water to a simmer.
  2. Sprinkle in tea leaves and remove saucepan from heat. Put on a lid and set aside to steep for 10 minutes.
  3. To make 1 serving: Add two tablespoons of condensed and evaporated milk in a huge mug. In a separate mug, drizzle in one cup of hot tea.
  4. The best part: Bring over the mugs to the kitchen sink to avoid make a hot mess. Pour the mixtures back and forth repeatedly between two mugs from a height to achieve a thick frothy top and to mix the tea with condensed and evaporated milk.
  5. Serve it immediately.

 

Teh Tarik | KiranTarun.com

Have a great weekend, friends. Mine would include making more pulled tea. It just makes sense, considering how easy it is to make it 🙂

Have you heard about or tried pulled tea before?

Enjoyed this recipe? Join others and get free email updates!

Comments on this entry are closed.

1 Rosa January 24, 2014 at 1:15 PM

It looks so tempting! I’d love to drink tea with you (I’d bring the cookies)…

Cheers,

Rosa

2 Kiran January 30, 2014 at 11:48 AM

Awww, thanks and you are always welcome 🙂

3 Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health January 24, 2014 at 1:26 PM

i have seen teas like this on the street side but didnt know it was Malaysian and called pulled tea. I could use some tea right now.
Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health recently posted..Meet the Dietitian – Amanda Haar

4 Kiran January 30, 2014 at 12:30 PM

Dixya — 🙂

5 Daniela @ FoodrecipesHQ January 24, 2014 at 2:01 PM

I wanna pull my tea too! You know, I love to discover recipes that are out of the mainstream but well rooted in the local life of your country of origin. Happy weekend Kiran!
Daniela @ FoodrecipesHQ recently posted..Good Morning Scrambled Tofu

6 Kiran January 30, 2014 at 2:26 PM

Daniela — awww, thanks sweetie. i hope we get to enjoy “pulled” tea some day 🙂

7 Laura (Tutti Dolci) January 24, 2014 at 5:44 PM

Gorgeous, I need this tea in my life!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) recently posted..roasted banana & dulce de leche cake

8 Kiran January 30, 2014 at 3:16 PM

Thanks, Laura 🙂

9 Viviane Bauquet Farre - Food and Style January 25, 2014 at 6:11 AM

That tea looks so warming and delicious, Kiran! Thanks for sharing…
Viviane Bauquet Farre – Food and Style recently posted..Black olive and blood orange tapenade

10 Kiran January 30, 2014 at 3:21 PM

Thanks Viviane 🙂

11 Ashley January 25, 2014 at 8:22 AM

This is so interesting! I’d never heard of pulled tea before – but it sounds wonderful. I’ve a huge tea fan to begin with but this sounds like something special : )
Ashley recently posted..Sausage, Pepper and Feta Hand Pies

12 Kiran January 30, 2014 at 3:23 PM

Ashley — give it a try and let me know. it’s truly a special beverage 🙂

13 cquek January 25, 2014 at 10:51 AM

my favourite drink
cquek recently posted..Kuih Bangkit family home in Queen Street Penang

14 Kiran January 30, 2014 at 3:25 PM

Cquek 🙂

15 KgReciPes January 25, 2014 at 1:31 PM

I know about condensed milk but what is evaporated milk? Please let me know.

16 Kiran January 30, 2014 at 3:27 PM
17 KgReciPes February 1, 2014 at 12:35 AM

Thanks for your Information Kiran
KgReciPes recently posted..Vegetables Pizza

18 Angie@Angie's Recipes January 25, 2014 at 1:43 PM

I would love one too!
Angie@Angie’s Recipes recently posted..Rutabaga Radicchio Salad with Silken Tofu Dressing

19 Kiran January 30, 2014 at 3:28 PM

Angie — me too!

20 Lizzy (Good Things) January 25, 2014 at 3:22 PM

Absolutely gorgeous, Kiran… congratulations. I have not ever tasted pulled tea, but would love to do so!
Lizzy (Good Things) recently posted..Bushman’s Meatloaf

21 Kiran January 30, 2014 at 3:35 PM

Lizzy — why congratulations? 😀

22 Mary @ Fit and Fed January 25, 2014 at 4:22 PM

I love being introduced to food traditions like this one. Nice easy low-tech way to get a frothy head on the top. Seems like it would whet your appetite for the tea to watch the process of making it, just like watching your barista make your latte and put a nice design on the top.
Mary @ Fit and Fed recently posted..A New Program for Sectionals

23 Kiran January 30, 2014 at 3:37 PM

Mary — my exact sentiments, and you described it very eloquently 🙂

24 Tanvi@SinfullySpicy January 25, 2014 at 5:14 PM

OMG..that really sounds AMAZING!! I am a tea drinker & this sounds a perfect recipe on days when I want to indulge. Thanks for sharing with us my dear. Pinning it !
Tanvi@SinfullySpicy recently posted..Gajar Halwa

25 Kiran January 30, 2014 at 3:39 PM

And thank you for pinning, sweetie 🙂

26 Choc Chip Uru January 26, 2014 at 1:17 AM

I could use a strong tea like this right now, it looks delicious 😀

Cheers
CCU
Choc Chip Uru recently posted..Party In The USA – Part III

27 Kiran January 30, 2014 at 3:45 PM

Uru — thanks! and frankly, i could use some too 🙂

28 Alice January 26, 2014 at 7:04 AM

Teh Tarik is a staple at our favourite Malaysian chain, Mamuk. I also love the frothy mouth feel from the lovely bubbles. Which reminds me of the delicious minted teas I’ve seen on shows, also frothy and pulled like this!

I loved my visit to Penang a few years back and the varieties of incredible street foods too!
Alice recently posted..The Serpent’s Table & Recipes for a Happy Chinese New Year.

29 Kiran January 30, 2014 at 3:46 PM

Alice — we couldn’t fit Penang into our recent endeavors. You are so right about the street foods in Penang. It’s utterly divine 🙂

30 Carolyn Chan January 26, 2014 at 7:26 AM

A favourite beverage of mine!
Carolyn Chan recently posted..La Maison Bleue, Sainte Maxime, Cote D’Azur

31 Kiran January 30, 2014 at 3:56 PM

Carolyn — you have great palate and taste 😉

32 John@Kitchen Riffs January 26, 2014 at 1:10 PM

This looks so interesting! I’ve not seen that technique used to make tea. Sounds quite good – thanks for this.
John@Kitchen Riffs recently posted..Meat and Potatoes Chili

33 Kiran January 30, 2014 at 3:57 PM

John — hope you’d get to try pulled tea soon. It’s a fun experiment 🙂

34 Crista January 26, 2014 at 8:14 PM

i loved watching the tutorial! thank you for sharing. you’re right, very interesting 🙂
Crista recently posted..changes

35 Kiran January 30, 2014 at 5:56 PM

Crista — I’m so glad you enjoyed 🙂

36 Medha January 26, 2014 at 8:35 PM

This sounds amazing and fun – I will start pulling my tea from tomorrow:)! Gorgeous pictures – love the dark tones and colours!
Medha recently posted..Quinoa Paella – A Healthy Vegetarian Paella Recipe

37 Kiran January 30, 2014 at 6:06 PM

Medha — thank you! hope you enjoyed “pulled” tea 🙂

38 Ash-foodfashionparty January 26, 2014 at 9:57 PM

I’ve seen this so much in India and in fact had it a couple of times. Not sure if they used condensed milk though, the malaysian version sounds absolutely delicious.
Can’t wait to try this. As always love your shots.

39 Kiran January 30, 2014 at 6:11 PM

Ash — thanks so much! the south indians makes “pulled” coffee which is just as delicious 🙂

40 easyfoodsmith January 27, 2014 at 2:13 AM

I am not a tea drinker and milky teas are not just my ‘cup of tea’ literally! Your pictures are making it very tempting for me though 😉
easyfoodsmith recently posted..WHEAT BERRY SALAD W/ ROASTED WINTER VEGETABLES

41 Kiran February 3, 2014 at 2:27 AM

Taruna — i guess, we all can’t “love” everything 😉

42 kristy @ the wicked noodle January 27, 2014 at 12:09 PM

This tea looks absolutely delicious! Now I’m craving it and I’m going to have to make some this afternoon. Perfect for this cold day!
kristy @ the wicked noodle recently posted..healthy berry smoothie

43 Kiran February 3, 2014 at 2:53 AM

Thanks Kristy! And I hope you enjoyed it 🙂

44 rika@vm January 27, 2014 at 1:51 PM

I’ve seen these teh tarik before at the stalls in Malaysia…but I know they weren’t vegan due to the use of condensed milk. But it sounds lovely though…I wonder if this will work with thick coconut milk. Lovely photos, Kiran, hope you’re doing well! My computer died this month 🙁

45 Kiran February 3, 2014 at 2:55 AM

Rika — it will taste different but delicious! hope you got your computer issues sorted out. xo

46 Kelly January 27, 2014 at 4:11 PM

This tea looks incredible Kiran, I’ve never tried pulled tea before but it sounds like a wonderful tea to savor and enjoy especially on a cold day. I can’t wait to give this a try, I love the combination of condensed and evaporated milk – pinning 🙂
Kelly recently posted..A Tale of Two Fortunes – Green Tea and Red Velvet Fortune Cookies

47 Kiran February 3, 2014 at 3:04 AM

Thanks! Hope you enjoyed this special tea, Kelly 🙂

48 Shashi @ RunninSrilankan January 27, 2014 at 7:45 PM

I have tried pulled tea before – but I had no idea it was referred to as pulled tea – there used to be a store in Abu Dhabi that used to make tea just like this – and it was so good! Thanks Kiran!
Shashi @ RunninSrilankan recently posted..Tofu Hash with Sundried Tomatoes

49 Kiran February 3, 2014 at 3:05 AM

Shashi — interesting! thanks for sharing 🙂

50 laurasmess January 27, 2014 at 8:49 PM

Hi Kiran! Seems like so long since I’ve read your beautiful posts, life has been busy over the festive season. This is a fabulous post for me to start today’s reading… love the gorgeous photos as always, and teh tarik is definitely legendary in our household too! My husband loves it; he’s only been to Malaysia once but he was immediately hooked. I love the ritual of seeing it being poured, frothy and delicious in the cup. Now we’ll be able to recreate it at home thanks to you. Hope that you’ve been well, beautiful. All the best for the start of 2014! xxx
laurasmess recently posted..The Moroccan Table

51 Kiran February 3, 2014 at 3:10 AM

Oh Laura! Thanks so much for dropping by. I’ve been too busy myself. You are so right about the whole “routine” of making pulled tea. It’s so fascinating 🙂

52 Raymund January 28, 2014 at 2:29 AM

Kiran, you bring back a lot of memories! I miss the mamak that I usually go to. Teh Tarik and Roti Nangka was my daily breakfast
Raymund recently posted..Lechon Fried Rice

53 Kiran February 3, 2014 at 3:16 AM

Raymund — and you’ve made me miss eating back home. oh roti nangka 😀

54 Amy @ Elephant Eats January 28, 2014 at 10:01 AM

I’ve never heard of this but it sounds delicious! Very similar to Thai tea. Mmm, craving it now 🙂

55 Kiran February 3, 2014 at 3:16 AM

Amy — me too 🙂

56 Kitchen Belleicious January 28, 2014 at 12:04 PM

Oh I love tea. I wish I drank it more than I do bc of time but boy oh boy your tea looks divine. So relaxing too!

57 Kiran February 3, 2014 at 11:09 AM

Jessica — thanks and it doesn’t take too much time to enjoy a cuppa tea 🙂

58 Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today January 30, 2014 at 10:15 AM

I drink coffee made in a similar way. Need to try tea as well.

59 Kiran February 3, 2014 at 11:10 AM

Marta — 🙂

60 Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen January 31, 2014 at 5:36 AM

I have not had pulled tea before but I certainly will now!
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen recently posted..No-Bake Chocolate Fudge Fridge Cake (Raw, Vegan, Paleo)

61 Kiran February 3, 2014 at 11:26 AM

Sylvie — let me know how it tastes 😉

62 Sophie February 8, 2014 at 3:23 AM

I made your delectable special tea & my hubby & I both loved it so much, Kiran! Beautiful pics too! 🙂
Sophie recently posted..Vegan GF veggie tofu scramble and my favourite foodie product of the month!

{ 2 trackbacks }

Previous post:

Next post: