Adeni tea

Ingredients

Tea

• 500 mlwater
• 3 teaspoonsstrong black tea leaves

Spices

• 6green cardamom pods, crushed
• 4cloves
• 1small cinnamon stick
• 2cm ginger, sliced, optional

To finish

• 400 mlwhole milk
• or 200 ml evaporated milk with 200 ml water
• 5 tablespoonssugar, or to taste

To serve

• small glasses
• dates or biscuits

Directions

1. Use more than you would in an Indian masala chai. Crush the cardamom pods before using them.
2. Put the water in a small heavy pan. Add all the crushed and whole spices.
3. Bring it to a boil over a high heat. Then lower it and simmer for five minutes. Add the tea leaves to the spiced water.
4. Let it boil for two or three minutes. The brew must stand up to the milk and sugar. Pour the milk into the hot pan. Add the sugar and stir it right in.
5. Bring it back toward a boil over medium heat. Let it settle and return it to the heat. Add more if you want it as it is served in Aden.
6. Taste it before you strain it. Pour it through a fine strainer into a jug. Discard the leaves and the spent spices.
7. Serve it in small glasses rather than mugs. It should be a warm caramel brown. Make it fresh, because it does not keep well.

Technique

• Aden was a major coaling and trading port on the route between Europe and India, and its food shows that history clearly.
• The tea style spread through Yemeni emigration and is now served across the Gulf and in Yemeni cafes worldwide.

Substitutions

• Evaporated milk diluted with water is widely used and gives a richer cup.
• Any strong black tea works, and Assam or Ceylon are both suitable.

Variations

• Some cafes add a pinch of saffron for a more fragrant cup.
• A version with less milk and more spice is drunk in the evening.
• Shahi haleeb is a milkier version served in some Yemeni cafes.

History

Strong tea boiled with milk, cardamom and cloves in Aden, a legacy of Indian Ocean trade.

Frequently asked questions

What is Adeni tea?

Adeni tea is a drink from Yemen: milky cardamom-clove tea, Aden’s sweet signature. Strong tea boiled with milk, cardamom and cloves in Aden, a legacy of Indian Ocean trade.

How long does Adeni tea take to make?

Adeni tea takes 5 minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 4. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Adeni tea?

Yes, within limits. Evaporated milk diluted with water is widely used and gives a richer cup. Any strong black tea works, and Assam or Ceylon are both suitable.

What is the most important thing to get right in Adeni tea?

Let it boil for two or three minutes. The brew must stand up to the milk and sugar. Pour the milk into the hot pan. Add the sugar and stir it right in.