Xinjiang Savory Milk Tea (Uyghur/Kazakh Salted Tea)
Not sweet! Nomad "soup to drink" made with salt and butter
Description
The traditional milk tea drunk daily like water by Chinese nomads (Uyghur, Kazakh, Mongol). Unlike sweet Japanese Boba tea, it is NEVER sweetened with sugar. It is seasoned purely with 'Salt', and enriched by melting lamb fat or butter (Su You) into it. A profoundly nourishing tea that drinks like a rich soup.
Restaurants serving Xinjiang Savory Milk Tea (Uyghur/Kazakh Salted Tea)
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Brick tea(Dark tea like Pu'er)
- Milk(or sheep milk)
- Salt
- Su You(Butter or Ghee)
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- (Brewing Tea) Boil water in a kettle. Break off pieces of 'Zhuan Cha' (Brick Tea/Dark Tea)—a hard block of tea heavily consumed in border regions—and add it.
- Boil rigorously for minutes until the color is dark.
- (Milk) Pour in massive amounts of fresh milk (cow, sheep, or mare).
- Bring to a boil again. Repeatedly scoop and drop the liquid from a height with a ladle to perfectly emulsify the milk and tea.
- [Flavor Core]: Add 'Salt'—NOT sugar.
- For ultimate depth, drop in a chunk of 'Su You' (Yak/cow butter) or a tiny bit of lamb fat to melt.
- Strain through a sieve into a bowl (or teacup) and serve piping hot.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Umami extraction via salt、Heavy depth of butter
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
(Brew strong black tea, add milk, salt, and salted butter)
Pairing
Naan (Uyghur bread) / Whole roasted lamb
Trivia
[Trivia] A nomad proverb says: 'I can endure 3 days without meat, but not 1 day without tea'. In a harsh environment lacking vegetables, this is the ultimate 'Soup of Life', simultaneously supplying vitamins, minerals, salt, and fat.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Hold the bowl with both hands and sip it piping hot. It is not just a drink; dunking hard 'Naan' or 'San Zi' (fried pastry) into this salty milk tea to soften them is the standard nomadic breakfast.
Allergen
Dairy