Karak Chai

Before you start

Karak chai, popular across the Gulf states, is a very strong black tea boiled with sugar and cardamom, then finished with evaporated milk and boiled again until it turns a deep caramel brown. Karak means strong, and that is the defining quality. It is sold in small paper cups from roadside cafeterias and is meant to be bold, sweet and creamy.

Compared with masala chai, karak is simpler and more concentrated. Cardamom leads, with saffron as an occasional extra, and evaporated milk replaces fresh milk to give a thicker, toffee-like body. The essential technique is the hard boil: tea is boiled longer than most people would dare, and then boiled again with the milk. That is what produces the dark color and intense flavor.

Ingredients

• 300 ml (1¼ cups) water
• 2 tbsp (about 10 g) strong black tea — CTC Assam granules or loose tea dust
• 4 green cardamom pods, crushed
• 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar — to taste
• 150 ml (⅔ cup) evaporated milk
• 4 to 5 saffron threads — optional

Method

1. Combine the water, tea, crushed cardamom and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Reduce to medium and boil for 4 to 5 minutes, until the liquid is very dark and slightly reduced.
3. Add the evaporated milk and saffron, if using. Bring back to a boil, watching closely; it can foam up quickly.
4. As it rises, lift the pan off the heat or ladle the chai up and pour it back in to aerate and prevent boiling over. Do this 3 or 4 times.
5. Simmer for 2 more minutes, until the color is deep caramel brown.
6. Strain into small cups and serve hot.

Tips for success

• CTC tea granules, common in Gulf and South Asian groceries, give the strongest, darkest brew.
• Watch the pot when the milk goes in. Karak foams up fast and can spill over in seconds.
• Do not reduce the boiling time. The long boil is what makes karak different from milky tea.
• Pour from a height into the cups for a little froth on top.

Substitutions

Evaporated milk

Whole milk plus 1 tablespoon condensed milk gives a similar richness. Fresh milk alone makes a thinner, lighter tea.

CTC black tea

Any strong black tea or tea bags (4 or 5) work. Loose whole-leaf tea needs a longer boil.

Granulated sugar

Condensed milk can replace both sugar and part of the evaporated milk. Adjust to taste.

Variations

Saffron karak

Increase the saffron to 8 threads, soaked in 1 tablespoon hot water first.

Ginger karak

Add 3 thin slices of fresh ginger with the tea for a spicier cup.

Troubleshooting

The chai is pale and milky

The tea was not boiled long enough before the milk was added. Boil it the full 4 to 5 minutes.

It boiled over

Lower the heat after adding the milk and ladle it to aerate as it rises.

It tastes too bitter

Add a little more sugar or evaporated milk. Some bitterness is part of karak, but it should be balanced.

Storage

Karak is meant to be drunk immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated for 1 day and reheated, though the texture changes. Opened evaporated milk keeps refrigerated in a covered container for 3 to 5 days.

Safety notes

Karak chai is strongly brewed and contains a fair amount of caffeine. The FDA cites 400 mg per day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most healthy adults.