Kazakh milk tea

Name: Kazakh milk tea
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 800 ml water, boiling; 8 g black tea leaves; 200 ml milk, heated; 1 pinch salt (optional); 4 tsp sugar (optional)

Vegetarian

Сүтті шай · Sütti shai

Strong black tea poured into small bowls and topped up with hot milk or cream, refilled again and again. The everyday drink of Kazakh hospitality.

Kazakh milk tea is a Kazakh hot drink from Kazakhstan, ready in about 10 minutes and made with black tea leaves and milk. It serves 4 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep: 2 min
Cook: 8 min
Total: 10 min
Serves: 4
Level: Beginner
Calories: 31

Ingredients

4 servings

800 ml Water (opens in a new tab), boiling
8 g Black tea leaves (opens in a new tab)About 2 tbsp loose black tea (or 4 bags), for a strong pot.
200 ml Milk (opens in a new tab), heatedSwap: Heavy cream (Cream or boiled-down milk (kaymak) for a richer cup.); Soy milk (For a dairy-free cup.)Contains milk
1 pinch (0.5 g) Salt (opens in a new tab) (optional)Some families add a pinch of salt.
4 tsp (17 g) Sugar (opens in a new tab) (optional)

Equipment

Saucepan (opens in a new tab)

Method

1
Step 1
Pour the boiling water over the tea in a teapot and let it steep for 5 minutes to make a strong brew.
- 5 min
2
Step 2
Heat the milk (opens in a new tab) until steaming, without boiling over.
- 3 min
- medium heat
- Saucepan (opens in a new tab)
3
Step 3
Pour a little milk (opens in a new tab) into each small bowl or cup, then top up with tea. Add salt or sugar (opens in a new tab) if liked. Serve only half full so it can be refilled hot.
- 2 min

About this dish

Origin: Kazakhstan · Commonly attributedAlso popular in KyrgyzstanMore food from Kazakhstan
Dish: Breakfast · Snack · Hot drinks
Cooking method: Boiled
Taste: mild, creamy, bitter
Diet: Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labels
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat · Low-sodium
Without the optional extras: Whole-food focused, No added sugarWith the listed swaps: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for: Everyday · Budget-friendly
Cook more with: Black tea leaves · Milk
Techniques: Boiling

Allergens

Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom milk

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

31 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 252 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

Protein 20%
Carbohydrate 32%
Fat 48%

Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
Nutrient	Per serving	Per 100 g*
Energy	31 kcal	12 kcal
Protein	1.6 g	0.6 g
Carbohydrate	2.5 g	1 g
Net carbohydrate	2.5 g	1 g
Sugars	2.6 g	1 g
Added sugars	0 g	0 g
Fibre	0 g	0 g
Fat	1.7 g	0.7 g
Saturated fat	1 g	0.4 g
Trans fat	—	—
Cholesterol	5 mg	2 mg
Sodium	26 mg	10 mg
Salt equivalent	0.1 g	0 g

Vitamins & minerals per serving

Potassium: 68 mg
Calcium: 78 mg
Iron: 0 mg
Magnesium: 9 mg
Vitamin A (RAE): 24 µg
Vitamin C: 0 mg
Vitamin D: 0.7 µg
Vitamin B12: 0.2 µg
Folate (DFE): 3 µg

How these numbers were made

Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
*Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
Optional ingredients are not included: salt, sugar.
Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): black tea leaves.
“—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

Filling a guest's bowl only halfway is a sign of respect — it means you will keep pouring fresh, hot tea.

Common mistakes

Stewing the tea leaves too long makes it bitter — strain or pour off after 5 minutes.

Serve with

Serve with baursak, butter, raisins, nuts and sweets.

Storage

Best made fresh.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added 27 Oct 2026 · Updated 8 Nov 2026

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Customise in Sip & BlendCompare with

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Milk, heated200 ml · 206 g

Used in steps 2, 3

Less sweet, dairy-free, caffeine-free or for more people — the original stays as it is.

Customise in Sip & Blend

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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