- Thai tea
Thai tea (also known as Thai iced tea) or "cha-yen" ( _th. ชาเย็น) when ordered in
Thailand , is a drink made from strongly-brewedblack tea [http://www.blueray.com/thaitea/index.html] ("red tea" in East Asia). Other ingredients may include addedstar anise ,tamarind or red and yellowfood coloring , and sometimes other spices as well. This tea is sweetened withsugar andcondensed milk and served chilled. Evaporated orwhole milk is generally poured over the tea and ice before serving--it is never mixed prior to serving--to add taste and creamy appearance. Locally, it is served in a traditional tall glass and when orderedtake-out , it is poured over the crushedice in a clear (or translucent) plastic bag. It can also be made into afrappé at more westernised vendors.It is popular in
Southeast Asia and in many American restaurants that serve Thai or Vietnamese food, especially on theWest Coast . Although Thai tea is not the same asbubble tea , aSoutheast andEast Asian beverage that contains largeblack pearls oftapioca starch , Thai tea withtapioca pearls is a popular flavor of bubble tea.Variations
Cold
*"Dark Thai iced tea" (Thai: ชาดำเย็น, cha-dam-yen) Thai tea served chilled with no milk content, sweetened with sugar only. The concept is based on traditional Indian tea which is used as main ingredient.
*"Lime Thai tea" (Thai: ชามะนาว, cha-ma-now) Similar to Dark Thai iced tea, but flavored with lime as well as sweetened with sugar. Mint may also be added.HotUsually, Thai people drink Thai hot tea in the morning, frequently with Yau ja gwai or "Pa-tong-ko" (Thai: ปาท่องโก๋) as it is called by most Thais.
*"Thai hot tea" (Thai: ชาร้อน, cha-ron) Thai tea served hot.
*"Dark Thai hot tea" (Thai: ชาดำร้อน, cha-dam-ron) Thai tea served hot with no milk content, sweetened with sugar only.Recipes
* [http://www.thaitable.com/Thai/recipes/thai_tea.htm Thai Tea] both cold and hot versions, with pictures.
* [http://www.oneletterwords.com/thaitea/recipes.html Thai Tea: Recipes] with several versions, including how to mix the powder from scratch.
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