Authentic Thai Iced Tea Food

AUTHENTIC THAI ICED TEA

Steps:

• Place tea leaves in a tea filter bag and secure.
• Pour water into a pot and bring to a boil. Add tea bag and sugar. Return to a boil and stir until sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow tea to steep for 30 minutes.
• Discard tea bag. Let tea cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours, or overnight.
• Fill 2 glasses 2/3 full of chilled tea. Slowly pour 1/4 cup coconut milk into each glass.

REAL THAI ICED TEA

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Steep the tea, star anise, cardamom, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean, tamarind powder, and almond extract (if using) in the boiling water for 5 minutes.
• Strain the tea.
• Stir in the sugar and sweetened condensed milk until both are completely dissolved.
• Fill 2 tall glasses with ice.
• Pour the tea over the ice, leaving an inch or so of space at the top for the evaporated milk.
• Top up with more ice if needed, and then drizzle with 1 teaspoon of evaporated milk on each glass of tea.

THAI ICED TEA

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a kettle; remove from heat. Add tea bags and steep for 5 minutes; remove tea bags.
• Stir sugar into tea until dissolved. Cool to room temperature.
• Fill 4 glasses with ice; pour tea into each glass until almost full. Stir 1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk into each glass. Float 1 tablespoon half-and-half atop the iced tea.

TRADITIONAL THAI ICED TEA WITH STAR ANISE

Steps:

• Bring 1/2 gallon of cold water to a boil. Add 8 finely crushed star anise pods, 1 teaspoon orange blossom water, the scrapings of 1 vanilla pod or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, a pinch each of ground cloves and ground cinnamon, and 1/2 cup Chinese black tea leaves.
• Boil for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup sugar and a few drops of red food coloring (optional, though traditional). Cover, steeping until tepid.
• Strain & place in the refriderator for a few hours to really chill.
• Pour the tea over plenty of crushed ice. Top with half-and-half or sweetened condensed milk.

THAI ICED TEA RESTAURANT STYLE (GOOD UP TO A WEEK)

Steps:

• TEA DIRECTIONS:.
• Bring one gallon of water to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low.
• Stir in tea leaves, cinnamon, black pepper, chili pepper, and coffee.
• Stir for 2 to 5 minutes until most of the tea leaves start to sink.
• Cover.
• Remove mixture from heat and let steep 10 minutes.
• TIP: If you want a clean crisp tea fill the pitcher up with ice before adding and straining the tea. If you want a dark bold flavor do not add the ice at this step!
• Pour tea through a "Cloth Tea Filter Sock" or nylon sock into a pitcher, discarding tea leaves .
• Cool to room temp (if iced cool until ice is melted).
• Pour tea a second time through "Cloth Tea Filter Sock" or nylon sock into a empty gallon water bottle (make sure the lid can be place on tight).
• Cap and refrigerate.
• TEA SUGAR SYRUP DIRECTIONS:.
• Mix all ingredients a large pot.
• Cook at medium to high heat.
• Once the mixture boils remove from stove immediately.
• Let cool and refrigerate.
• TO SERVE:.
• Fill a glass with 7 oz crushed ice pour tea over ice up to 8 oz.
• Add 1/2 to 2 oz of Sugar Syrup.
• At "tableside" add 1 to 2 oz of half-and-half.
• Traditional Variation: Substitute coconut milk or evaporated milk for half & half.