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Mongolian salty milk tea
Süütei tsai: green brick tea boiled with milk and salt
Süütei tsai is the first thing offered to anyone who steps into a ger on the Mongolian steppe, from Arkhangai to the Gobi, and families drink it all day long from wide bowls. Green brick tea is boiled in water, then milk and a pinch of salt go in, and the tea is ladled high and poured back again and again to aerate it. Some households add a knob of butter or a spoon of toasted millet for a richer, more filling bowl. It is savoury, not sweet, which surprises first-time visitors. A common mistake is using black tea leaves, which go bitter; use green brick tea or a mild green tea. Chef's tip: the ladling is not just ritual, it gives the tea a smooth, rounded taste.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp green brick tea, crumbledor 3 green tea bags
- 4 ¼ cups water
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ oz butter (optional)
- 2 tbsp toasted millet (optional)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Bring 4 ¼ cups water to the boil, add 2 tbsp green brick tea, crumbled and boil for 3–5 minutes until the liquid is a deep golden brown.
5 minStep 2: Strain out the leaves (or lift out the bags) and return the tea to the pan. Add 2 cups whole milk and bring back to the boil.
3 minStep 3: Lower the heat and, with a ladle, scoop up the tea and pour it back from a height 15–20 times, for about 3–4 minutes, until slightly frothy.
5 minStep 4: Stir in ½ tsp salt, and ½ oz butter if you like. Serve in bowls, with a spoon of 2 tbsp toasted millet floating on top if using.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 90 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mongolian salty milk tea take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 2 minutes to prepare and 13 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
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