Traditional Qatari karak: heavily steeped black tea, simmered with cardamom, saffron, sugar, and evaporated milk until it becomes a creamy, intensely fragrant, amber-orange drink.
Ingredients
- 300 ml water
- 8 g loose Assam black tea
- 170 ml unsweetened whole evaporated milk
- 3 tbsp white granulated sugar
- 6 pieces whole green cardamom
- 1 pinch saffron threads
Method
- Lightly crush the cardamom pods with the flat of a knife or in a mortar. They should open without being reduced to powder.
- Pour the water into a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the cardamom and bring to a rolling boil.
- Add the black tea. Maintain a gentle boil until the water takes on a very dark color and the tea fragrance is distinctly developed.
- Add the sugar and stir until completely dissolved.
- Pour in the evaporated milk, then add the saffron. Mix carefully and gradually bring back to a simmer.
- Simmer over low heat, monitoring constantly. Stir regularly and let the drink take on an amber-orange color, a creamy texture, and a concentrated flavor. Do not let the milk boil over or stick to the bottom.
- For a smooth texture and the characteristic light foam, gently lift a small amount of karak with a ladle, then pour it back into the saucepan. Repeat this motion toward the end of the simmer.
- Taste and check the balance between the strength of the tea, the sugar, and the cardamom. Traditional karak should be full-bodied and decidedly sweet, without the milk masking the tea.
- Pass immediately through a fine-mesh strainer to catch the tea, cardamom pods, and saffron threads.
- Serve scalding hot in small cups or heatproof glasses.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 318.6 kcal
- Protein
- 10.95 g
- Carbohydrate
- 57.14 g
- Fat
- 8.38 g
- Fibre
- 16.56 g
- Calcium
- 312.93 mg
- Iron
- 7.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 115.53 mg
