How To Make Thai Iced Tea

Learning how to make Thai Iced Tea is actually much easier than many realize. The sweet, colorful iced tea, common to many Thai restaurants can be made quickly and easily in your own home with basic tea making equipment. How can you make delicious Thai inspired iced tea at home?

Ingredients and Equipment for Making Thai Iced Tea:

• 1 1/2 c. Black Tea Leaves and a combination of Star Anise, Cardamom, Vanilla Beans, and Cinnamon, to taste or 1 c. purchased Thai Tea Mix
• 6 c. Boiling Water
• ½ c. Granulated Sugar
• ½ c. Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 12 oz. Can Evaporated Milk or Coconut Milk
• Large Teapot or Boiling Pot for the Water
• Tea Strainer or an Infuser
• Long Spoon for Stirring
• Ice Cubes
• Iced Tea Glasses

1. Prepare the tea leaves. If you are using an already spiced Thai Tea Mix, the tea leaves can be added to the boiling water directly or through a tea infuser. If you are adding spices to basic black tea leaves, combine the tea leaves and the spices first in a pitcher before steeping. You will need to experiment with the amount of spices suitable to your taste if you are unable to find a prepared Thai Tea Mix.
2. Allow the Thai tea to steep. Steep or infuse the tea in the boiling water for at least five minutes.
3. Strain the tea leaves. Using either a fine tea strainer or by simply removing the tea infuser, remove any loose tea leaves from the liquid.
4. Sweeten the Thai tea. Add the sugar to the tea liquid while it is hot to ensure that the sugar is able to dissolve. Stir the tea thoroughly to distribute all of the sugar. Add the sweetened condensed milk and again stir thoroughly.
5. Cool the Thai tea. Allow the hot tea to completely cool or chill before preparing it in glasses for serving.
6. Finish the Thai iced tea and serve. Add ice cubes to tall iced tea glasses. Fill each glass nearly 3/4 full with the chilled Thai tea. Top off the glasses of Thai iced tea slowly with the evaporated milk or coconut milk—but, do not stir. The final milk layer gives the Thai iced tea the distinct layering common to the drink.