Recipe

Asia🇹🇭 ThailandBangkok (Central)
Thai Iced Tea
Thai · easy · serves 4
prep 5 min · cook 10 min
~46 cal · 1g protein · 8g carbs · 1g fat (estimated, per serving)
🍽️
Layered orange Thai iced tea with a swirl of milk
🇹🇭 Bangkok (Central)
Cha yen — Thai iced tea — is the sweet, creamy street drink that cools Bangkok's markets, its signature orange hue coming from strongly brewed spiced tea. Poured over ice and crowned with a swirl of condensed and evaporated milk, it is dessert and refreshment in one tall glass.
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Ingredients
Serves 4
4 tbsp Thai tea mix (or strong black tea + star anise)
1/4 cup + 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk + evaporated milk
2 tbsp, to taste sugar
4 cups water
to serve ice
Instructions
1
Steep the tea in hot water for 5 minutes until very strong and deeply colored.
2
Strain and stir in the sugar while hot; cool to room temperature.
3
Fill tall glasses with ice and pour the tea over.
4
Top with condensed milk (or coconut versions) and a float of evaporated milk.
5
Serve with a straw and stir before drinking.
Bangkok street tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination
📍
Bangkok (Central). Canal-side woks firing basil and chili into the night.
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Thailand. The balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy in every bite.
🌍
Asia. From street-cart woks to slow monastery kitchens.
The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.
👩‍🍳
Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker
Recipes cooked, tested, and researched by the creators of Spin the Globe. How we build our recipes →
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