Adeni Chai aka karak is a strong cardamom spiced tea with milk popular in Yemen and most of the Middle East. It’s rich, strong, sweet, and creamy thanks to the addition of evaporated milk. This tea puts Starbuck’s chai latte to shame and It’s so good that you’ll want a 2nd and 3rd cup!
Karak tea, also known as “kadak chai,” is a strong, spiced tea popular in the Middle East, India and Pakistan. Its bold robust flavor and addition of cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon is what set it apart from other milk teas. It’s made extra rich and creamy by opting for canned evaporated milk.
If you’ve never had milk tea before this recipe is a must try. This delicious milk tea is a staple in our Middle Eastern homes and is typically served hot in the morning or afternoon with baked goods or desserts. It’s the perfect drink on a cold winter night and will forever be my go-to tea. It can also be served iced during the hot summer days if desired.
What You Will Need
Tea: lose black tea is the typical tea of choice. Black Lipton tea bags will also work.
Sugar: granulated white sugar is what is traditionally used but any other sugar alternative should work.
Spices: the main spice used is cardamom (crushed or powdered). Cloves and a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg are also added for a warm well-rounded flavor.
Milk: evaporated milk is the BEST option. It’s creamy, rich, and won’t split. If you must, replace it with whole milk or half & half.
How to Make Karak Chai
To make Adeni chai aka Karak Chai, start by adding water and sugar to your teapot. Add the loose black tea, ground cardamom, cloves, a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg, and evaporated milk. Bring to a simmer and stir with a spoon as needed. Make sure you keep an eye on it as it can overflow very easily.
What to serve with Adeni Chair (Karak)
This delicious tea is delicious alone but is also the perfect paring to any dessert, cookie, or baked good. Here are a few of my favorite desserts to serve with Karak:
- Basbousa
- Beehive Bread
- Baklava
- Stuffed Basbousa
- Cinnamon Rolls
- Cinnamon Roll Banana Cake
Adeni Chai (Karak)
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- ¼ cup sugar + more if desired
- 2 Tablespoons loose black tea, or 4 tea bags
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, or 8 pods crushed
- 4 cloves, optional
- pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg
- 1 cup evaporated milk
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a medium tea pot or sauce pan. Place over medium-high and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 8-10 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so and keeping an eye on it so it doesn’t overflow.
- To serve Iced: Allow tea to cool to room temp then pour on a cup full of ice. Add more milk if desired.
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
