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Malaysian · Singaporean

Teh tarik

Vegetarian

Strong black tea and condensed milk 'pulled' back and forth between two jugs until frothy, smooth and sweet — Malaysia's favourite hot drink.

Teh tarik is a Malaysian hot drink, ready in about 10 minutes and made with black tea leaves and sweetened condensed milk. It serves 2 and is rated easy to cook.

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A serving of Teh tarik
Photo: Yu Chu Chin / Wikimedia Commons · CC-BY-SA-4.0
Prep
2 min
Cook
8 min
Total
10 min
Serves
2
Level
Easy
Calories
166

Ingredients

2 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Simmer the tea in 400 ml water for 3–4 minutes to make a strong brew, then strain into a jug.

    Liquid being strained through a sieve
    How it looks · Photo: Katerina Holmes on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Stir in the condensed and evaporated milk (opens in a new tab).

    • 1 min

  3. Step 3

    Pour the tea from a height into a second jug, then back again, five or six times, until a thick froth forms. Serve at once in glasses.

    • 2 min

    Food safety: Practise the pull with cool water first; hot tea scalds.

    A finished dish being plated
    How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Malaysia · Commonly attributedPopularised by Indian-Muslim mamak stalls; also a staple in Singapore.Also popular in SingaporeMore food from Malaysia
Dish
Breakfast · Snack · Hot drinks
Cooking method
Boiled, Whipped
Taste
sweet, creamy, bitter
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-fat · Low-sodium
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday
Cook more with
Black tea leaves · Sweetened condensed milk · Evaporated milk
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering · Emulsification

Allergens

  • Contains: Milkfrom sweetened condensed milk, evaporated 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

166 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 271 g · recipe makes 2

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 12%
  • Carbohydrate 57%
  • Fat 31%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy166 kcal61 kcal
Protein5.2 g1.9 g
Carbohydrate24.1 g8.9 g
Net carbohydrate24.1 g8.9 g
Sugars24.1 g8.9 g
Added sugars——
Fibre0 g0 g
Fat5.8 g2.1 g
Saturated fat3.6 g1.3 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol22 mg8 mg
Sodium87 mg32 mg
Salt equivalent0.2 g0.1 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
240 mg
Calcium
213 mg
Iron
0.1 mg
Magnesium
22 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
49 µg
Vitamin C
2 mg
Vitamin D
0.7 µg
Vitamin B12
0.2 µg
Folate (DFE)
7 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.
  • 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

  • Start pouring from a low height and lift as you gain confidence.

Common mistakes

  • Weak tea — the brew must be very strong to stand up to the condensed milk.
  • Pulling from too great a height before you've practised; start low over a sink.

Serve with

  • The natural partner to roti canai and nasi lemak.

Storage

  • Drink immediately.

Variations

  • Teh halia: Simmer a few slices of ginger with the tea.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Customise in Sip & Blend

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

Used in step 2

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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