Karak Chai

Karak Chai, Middle Eats

Description

A Gulf-style spiced black tea built on a gram-based recipe and one key technique: the foam method. Aerate the tea and milk mixture over heat five times and the milk proteins transform, giving you a velvet texture that sets karak apart from ordinary chai. Two regional variations are included — a Yemeni Shai Adeni and a smoky black cardamom version. All quantities are scaled to fill a French press. Based on the recipe by Middle Eats.

Tools

Items
high-walled pot
kitchen scale
fine mesh strainer

Gulf Original

Ingredients

Item	Amount
water	530g
evaporated milk	380g
loose black tea	12g
white sugar	38g
fresh ginger, sliced	5g
cardamom pods, crushed	~3g (6 pods)
saffron	pinch
cloves	pinch

Tip

The aeration step is what separates karak from regular chai. Each foam-and-settle cycle changes the milk proteins and builds the velvet texture — don’t skip reps.

Recipe

1. Prepare: Set a high-walled pot on the scale and tare it. Pour in 530g water.

2. Add aromatics: Add the 12g tea, 38g sugar, 5g sliced ginger, and the crushed cardamom, saffron, and cloves.

3. Infuse: Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes.

4. Add milk: Pour in 380g evaporated milk and stir to combine.

5. Aerate: Raise to medium-high heat. The moment the foam reaches the rim, pull the pot off the heat and let it settle. Return to heat and repeat — 5 times total.

6. Strain and serve: Look for a deep terracotta color. Strain into a mug and serve immediately.

Shai Adeni

Ingredients

Item	Amount
water	720g
sweetened condensed milk	80g
loose black tea	6g
cinnamon stick	1 stick (~3g)
green cardamom pods, crushed	~4g (8 pods)
whole cloves	4 pieces
ground nutmeg	pinch

Recipe

1. Simmer spices: Add 720g water and all the spices — cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg — to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until deeply fragrant.

2. Steep tea: Add the 6g tea and steep for 2–4 minutes depending on how strong you like it.

3. Add milk: Stir in 80g sweetened condensed milk and heat through briefly — don’t boil.

4. Strain and serve: Strain into a mug and serve. The condensed milk gives this version a thicker, dessert-like body.

Black Cardamom

Ingredients

Item	Amount
water	530g
evaporated milk	380g
loose black tea	12g
black cardamom pod, lightly crushed	~3g (2 pods)
green cardamom pods, crushed	~1.5g (3 pods)
fresh ginger, sliced	5g
white sugar	38g

Tip

Black cardamom is a different species from green — it has a smoky, camphor-like quality. Dry-toasting it first draws out the oils before any liquid hits the pan.

Recipe

1. Toast: Lightly crush the black cardamom pods and dry-toast them in the cold pot over medium heat for 30 seconds until fragrant.

2. Build the base: Add 530g water, then the 12g tea, 38g sugar, green cardamom, and ginger.

3. Infuse: Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Add milk: Pour in 380g evaporated milk and stir to combine.

5. Aerate: Raise to medium-high heat. Foam to the rim, pull off, let settle — repeat 5 times. The smoky oils from the black cardamom emulsify into the milk fats during this process.

6. Strain and serve: Strain into a mug and serve immediately.