Suutei tsai is Mongolia’s gently savory milk tea, a warming everyday drink built for cold weather and long conversations.
Steep the tea in water, add milk and salt, then simmer and aerate it with a few careful pours so the drink is smooth and balanced.
Keep the tea below a hard boil once the milk is added; a gentle simmer keeps the flavor clean and prevents scorching.
Serving Suggestions
Serve suutei tsai hot in sturdy cups, alongside simple savory snacks or a warm breakfast.
Recipe Notes
It is best fresh, but leftovers can be refrigerated for 2 days and rewarmed gently without boiling.
Mongolian Suutei Tsai
A warm, gently salty Mongolian milk tea made with green tea and whole milk.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Steep the tea:
- Bring the water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Add the tea and steep for 4 minutes.
- Strain the tea into a heatproof pitcher, then return it to the saucepan.
Add the milk:
- Add the milk and salt to the tea. Warm over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot but not boiling.
- Pour the tea between the saucepan and pitcher once or twice from a low height to blend it gently and create a smooth texture.
Serve:
- Taste and adjust the salt. Strain into sturdy cups and serve hot.
Nutrition
Notes
- The drink should be lightly savory rather than aggressively salty.
- Whole milk gives the most traditional body, but do not allow it to boil.
