Kitchen Recipe Collection
Hong Kong Milk Tea (Naicha)
The lifeblood of Hong Kong cafes (Cha Chaan Teng). An incredibly potent, bitter black tea brewed through a 'silk stocking' filter, then mellowed with rich, sweet evaporated and condensed milk.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 2
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- Chinese
Ingredients
Scaled for 2 servings
- 3 tbsp strong loose-leaf black tea (A blend of Ceylon, Assam, and Pu'er is traditional)
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk (Full fat, Black & White brand preferred)
- 2-3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk (adjust to taste)
Equipment
- Two small saucepans
- Cloth coffee filter or 'silk stocking' tea strainer
Instructions
- 1
Boil Water
Bring the 2.5 cups of water to a rolling boil in a saucepan.
- 2
Add Tea
Add the loose-leaf black tea to the boiling water.
- 3
Aggressive Boil
Reduce the heat slightly, but maintain a vigorous boil for 5 minutes. The goal is to extract maximum tannins, color, and caffeine so the tea becomes intensely dark and bitter.
- 4
The 'Pull' (Crashing)
Hold a cloth filter over a second, empty saucepan. Pour the boiling tea through the filter from a high height. This 'crashing' aerates the tea.
- 5
Repeat the Pull
Hold the filter over the first saucepan and pour the tea back through it. Repeat this pouring back and forth 3-4 times. This process smooths the bitterness.
- 6
Final Simmer
Return the filtered tea to the stove and simmer for 2 more minutes to ensure it is piping hot.
- 7
Prepare Cups
Warm your serving cups (traditionally thick, short ceramic cups). Pour the evaporated milk and condensed milk into the cups first.
- 8
Combine
Pour the boiling hot, dark tea into the milk from a slight height to mix it thoroughly.
- 9
Observe Color
The resulting color should be a smooth, beautiful tan/caramel color.
- 10
Serve Hot or Cold
Serve immediately while hot, or pour over a large glass of ice for Iced Milk Tea (Dong Nai Cha).
Cooking Tips
- The tea must be uncomfortably strong. If you brew it like normal English breakfast tea, the evaporated milk will completely overpower it and it will taste like warm, watery milk.
- The 'silk stocking' (actually a sackcloth bag dyed brown by the tea) is essential because it allows the oils of the tea to pass through while catching every particle of dust.
Variations
- Iced Milk Tea without Dilution: In high-end HK cafes, the iced version is served in a glass resting inside a bowl of ice water, so the drink gets freezing cold without melting ice diluting it.
Nutrition Estimate
180 calories · 6g protein · 22g carbs · 8g fat · 0g fiber per serving
