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Hong Kong yuenyeung
Yuenyeung (鴛鴦): strong Hong Kong milk tea and coffee blended in one cup, hot or iced
Named after mandarin ducks, which are always seen in pairs, yuenyeung marries brewed coffee and silky milk tea in a single cup, and you will find it on the drinks board of every cha chaan teng in Hong Kong. Office workers order it at lunch with a toasted bun or a plate of noodles, hot in winter and iced through the humid summer, and it tastes of both and neither: the tea's tannic grip, the coffee's roast and the creamy body of evaporated milk, with a double dose of caffeine that makes it a poor choice for children or late evenings. Watery tea is where most homemade versions go wrong, letting the coffee take over; brew the tea strong and stewed. Chef's tip: pour the brewed tea back and forth through a fine strainer four or five times; this 'pulling' smooths out the tannins and gives the drink its silky body.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
For the milk tea
- ⅜ oz loose black tea, such as a Ceylon blendabout 4 tbsp
- 1 ¾ cups water
- ½ cup evaporated milk
For the coffee
- ½ cup strong brewed coffee or espressohot
To sweeten and serve
- 2 tbsp sugar or sweetened condensed milkto taste
- 1 handful ice cubes (optional)for the iced version
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Bring 1 ¾ cups water to the boil in a small pan, add ⅜ oz loose black tea, such as a Ceylon blend, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until dark reddish-brown and strongly bitter-smelling.
5 minStep 2: Pour the tea through a fine strainer or tea sock into a jug, then pour it back into the pan through the strainer. Repeat four or five times; the tea turns a little smoother and frothier each time.
2 minStep 3: Warm ½ cup evaporated milk briefly and divide between two cups, then pour in the hot tea.
Step 4: Add ½ cup strong brewed coffee or espresso, about 3 parts milk tea to 1 part coffee, and stir in 2 tbsp sugar or sweetened condensed milk until dissolved. Taste and adjust; the tea should still come through.
Step 5: Serve hot, or cool for a few minutes and pour over glasses packed with 1 handful ice cubes for the iced version. Add the ice only once the drink is cool to avoid diluting it.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 130 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does hong Kong yuenyeung take?
- About 10 minutes in total: 2 minutes to prepare and 8 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 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 evaporated milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
- What can I use instead of sugar or sweetened condensed milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
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