Degchi
Strong black tea boiled hard with cardamom and milk until deep amber and rich. Brought to the Gulf by South Asian communities and now a national obsession, sold from tiny karak stalls on every corner.
Quick answer: 12 min in total · serves 4 · main ingredients: Tea leaves, Cardamom, Milk, Sugar · amounts in metric and US
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp 2 tbsp Tea leaves
- 4 pc 4 pc Cardamom, crushed
- 200 ml 0.8 cup Milk, evaporated milk, or regular whole milk
- 3 tbsp 3 tbsp Sugar
Steps
Timers run only while this tab is open. The Degchi app keeps them running on a locked phone.
- Crush the cardamom pods lightly with the back of a spoon, and measure out 400 ml of water and the milk.
- Boil 400 ml water with the crushed cardamom for 2 minutes.⏱ Boiling cardamom water · 2 min
- Add the tea leaves and boil hard for 3 minutes until the water turns deep red-brown.⏱ Boiling tea · 3 min
- Pour in the milk and sugar, then boil hard again, letting it rise and fall a few times for a strong, frothy karak.⏱ Boiling with milk · 5 min
- Strain into small glasses and serve hot.
- Transfer to a serving dish and serve while fresh.
Cook this in the app — get Degchi on Google Play
Get it on Google PlayNot sure you have everything? Check this against your pantry
Frequently asked questions
How long does Karak Chai take?
12 minutes in total: about 2 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking.
Is Karak Chai hard to make?
Degchi rates it easy. The method has 6 steps, and 3 of them have a timer you can start on this page.
How many people does Karak Chai serve?
This recipe serves 4. Use the toggle above the ingredient list to see the amounts in metric or US measures. For more or fewer portions, scale every amount in the same proportion, or use the servings control in the Degchi app.
Is Karak Chai halal, vegetarian or eggless?
It is marked halal in our recipe data. It is vegetarian. It has no egg. It has no beef. Check the labels on any packaged ingredients for your own needs.
What will I probably need to buy for Karak Chai?
Spice-box items: cardamom. Fresh items you will probably need to buy: milk. Lentils, grains and other dry goods: tea leaves, sugar.
Notes and questions
No notes yet. Ask a question about this recipe, share a tip, or tell us if something needs fixing. Our team reads every note before it appears.
Ask a question or add a note
This recipe in other languages
Used in these posts
Hot Drinks for a Cold Evening: Chai, Gahwa, Sahlab and More
Six warm drinks from South Asia and the Gulf, how long each takes, what makes them different, and which one suits a quiet night, a guest or a crowd.
Iced Masala Chai at Home: Cold Chai Without Bitterness
Pouring hot chai over ice gives a weak, watery drink. Brew a concentrate, cool it quickly and add milk at the end for iced masala chai that tastes like chai.
Chai Colour Guide: What Amber, Red-Brown and Pink Mean
The colour of a cup of chai tells you which tradition you are in and whether the boil went right. A guide to amber, red-brown, pale beige and pink, with the clues from our recipes.
Doodh Patti for a Crowd: Scale the Pot, Not Just the Ratio
The doodh patti recipe serves two. Guests arrive and you need ten cups. The numbers scale in a straight line, but the pot, the time and the boil-over risk do not. A practical table inside.
How to Make Karak Chai Stronger (or Milder) Without Bitterness
Strong chai and bitter chai are not the same thing. Four dials control strength: tea per cup, water, boil time and the milk. Here is how to turn each one, with numbers from three recipes.
Gahwa and Dates: How to Serve Arabic Coffee at Home
Gahwa is light, spiced and poured in thimble-sized cups. The brewing times from our recipe, how to pair it with stuffed dates, and the small manners that go with it.
