Cha Yen from Thailand

What is the recipe for Thai Tea?
Lots of people ask us this question. How do you make the milky-sweet Thai tea common in Thai restaurants around the world?
In Thailand this tea is called Cha Yen and it’s important that you order it that way in-country as there or many other kinds of tea served in here. Cha Yen literally translates as Tea Cool - Chilled Tea.

Traditional Thai Iced Tea Recipe – Cha Yen from Thailand

1 cup Thai Tea (Cha Thai)
6 cups Water
1 cup Sugar
1 can Evaporative Milk
Half-and-Half cream (a western touch)

1. Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan.
2. Add the tea and remove the pan from heat.
3. Stir to submerge all the tea leaves in the water.
4. Steep for about 5 minutes.
5. Pour the brew through a coffee filter or a fine-mesh strainer into a large pitcher.
6. Add the sugar to the hot tea and stir to dissolve.
7. Cool to room temperature.
8. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
9. Fill tall glasses with crushed ice.
10. Add enough of the tea to fill the glasses to within 1 inch from the top.
11. Then float 3 to 4 tablespoons of evaporated milk over the ice in each glass.
12. For a taste of the west, include a half-and-half creamer with, or instead of, evaporative milk

Traditionally the tea used to make Cha Yen is a low-quality black tea grown in the northern hills of Thailand. The tea is placed in a strainer and boiling water is poured over it 4 or 5 times. The tea becomes a muddy red color and is VERY strong. The tea is poured into a plastic bag over lots of ice, sugar-water syrup is added, evaporative milk is poured over the top, a straw is inserted into the baggy and you are handed your personal package of yummy Cha Yen.