Irani Chai Recipe

rani chai (Hyderabadi dum tea). Enrich your beloved tea with condensed milk and fresh cream to create a modern twist on classic Iranian style tea. The perfect way to enjoy the dream team of tea and milk with a touch of creaminess in a cuppa. Super simple to make, yet so addicting!

There’s chai (tea). And then there’s Irani chai or Hyderabadi dum tea. Tea, one of the most popular beverages consumed by millions around the world, comes in so many flavors – milk tea, black tea, herbal tea, green tea, matcha tea. Irani chai, on the other hand, is rich and creamy version of milk tea and was introduced to the Indian subcontinent by Persian immigrants in the 19th century.
Milk, spices, tea powder – all come together to create a super rich, mildly sweet tea to warm up your days. And the one factor that makes it so unique is its creamy texture. Read on to learn more about this delicious drink.

TRADITIONAL IRANI CHAI
As I mentioned, this unique chai is well-known for its rich and creamy texture. In the traditional version of this chai recipe, that texture comes from mawa or khoya. It’s made by boiling milk for hours until water evaporates leaving milk solids behind. These milk solids impart the creamy texture to the tea.

LET’S MAKE IT EASY AND SIMPLE
If you’re time-poor, here’s a super simple tip to enjoy hot Irani tea at home. Substitute mawa with ingredients like condensed milk and fresh cream. Easy!

To make this dum tea, start with boiling 4 cups water, tea powder, crushed cardamom pods and sugar (if you like). You can also add a little ground cinnamon if you like. Cover the pan with aluminium foil and a tight fitting lid, and simmer for about 30 minutes. You can also cover the sides of the lid with dough to seal in the flavor and create the classic ‘dum’ effect.

Now, in another saucepan, combine together milk, condensed milk and cream. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the mixture is thickened. Make sure you stir the mixture occasionally.

To serve, simply divide the tea among serving cups, and top with milk mixture. Done!