Karak Tea
This spiced black tea drink is the perfect flavourful hot drink, especially for fall / autumn and winter while still having the good caffeine kick. Choose to make it as sweet as you like.
Equipment
- 1 large sauce pan
- 1 heat resistant spoon
- 1 tea strainer or fine mesh sieve
- 1 spice grinder or pestle & mortar (optional)
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 tin evaporated milk (170 g)
- 4 tsp loose black tea (or 2 strong black tea bags)
- 1/2 a cinnamon stick (or 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder)
- 1/2 tsp whole cloves
- 1 piece star anise
- 10 cardamom pods
- honey or sugar (to sweeten to your taste)
Instructions
- Pour the water and add evaporated milk into the pan
- Turn to a medium high heat and bring to the boil
- As it's starting to warm, grind the spices and add to the pan
- Add the black tea
- Stir until it starts to bubble
- Once it starts bubbling, let it boil for 1 - 2 minutes before turning the heat down
- On a low heat, let it simmer for 10 minutes until it goes a dark caramel brown colour
- Turn off the heat
- Pour through the strainer into a cup
- Add sugar or honey to the cup, depending on how sweet your like your karak
Notes
This really tastes best when you prepare it the day or night before, allowing the spices to really sit and take up the flavours. You can also make a large batch, keep the rest in the fridge and heat it up over the next few days.
If you choose not to grind the spices, it's best to let it sit overnight or heat it with the spices and add the black tea after letting it sit for a few hours at least. Otherwise the spices won't taste very strong. Make sure to gently press the cardamom pods with the back of a tea spoon so they pods crack a little.
You can also add more water if you find too much evaporated as you were boiling it.
Also feel free to experiment with the spices until you find the perfect blend for your own tastes, personally I don't like a huge amount of cinnamon but I love lots of cardamom.