Tea, again, but Thai tea

[wpcoe]

What type of tea do they use to make the "Thai Iced Tea," usually conjured up if you just ask for "cha yen?"

It's a reddish-orange tea, to which they add sweetened milk. I've had just the tea alone, served hot, and liked it a lot. But, I'm not sure what to look/ask for in the tea section of a supermarket. I've tried explaining, but it falls on deaf ears.

So, what type of tea is that is used for cha yen?

[littlebird]

Something like "chai malam" - I'm sure its not quite that as the GF usually orders it.

[PeteC]

I just asked wife and her girlfriend here and got two answers, but no brand name:

1) A Chinese loose leaf tea that's put into a mesh bag and water run over it.

2) The old reliable Lipton instant powdered tea. Pete

[wpcoe]

The old reliable Lipton instant powered tea is NOT quite what I'm looking for. (Yes, I tried...) A loose leaf tea might work if we only knew what it was called.

I will try asking for "chai malam" (maybe "chaa malam"?) and see what it leads to. Thanks!

[migrant]

The wife and her mom make it often here. In Thailand they buy tea that comes in a red can. Can't give you the name.

[margaretcarnes]

I don't know the type of tea but they use condensed or evaporated milk for added 'yuk' factor. The Chinese leaf teas are nice brewed properly in a pot IMO.

[wpcoe]

The wife and her mom make it often here. In Thailand they buy tea that comes in a red can. Can't give you the name.

The tea comes in a *can*??? Goodness, I never thought of that. Kinda of like ground Maxwell House coffee?

I don't know the type of tea but they use condensed or evaporated milk for added 'yuk' factor. The Chinese leaf teas are nice brewed properly in a pot IMO.

That "yuk" factor is why I want to find the plain old tea. I don't want/need the milk or sugar. I've had that tea served hot, and it's quite good.

Okay, back from Villa Market where I terrorized the staff with my quest for the tea. Two fluent English speaking Thai customers came to my aid. The customers knew exactly what I wanted, but had no idea what it was called, but repeatedly explained to the staff. I was offered variously Lipton Lemon Iced Tea Powder, Japanese green tea, and various herbal teas, including chamomile -- what do they think? That I'll go home and brew some green tea and go ahhhh, this is what I'm looking for, and swear allegiance to continue shopping at the ever-so-helpful Villa Market? (Okay, that was a bit over the top, but after I've rejected their first few feeble attempts, why keep offering what they probably know for sure isn't what I want???)

[migrant]

The wife and her mom make it often here. In Thailand they buy tea that comes in a red can. Can't give you the name.

The tea comes in a *can*??? Goodness, I never thought of that. Kinda of like ground Maxwell House coffee?

That's what the boss said! She thought it was Chinese also. Her memory is usually good, but it has been a while since she lived in Thailand.

I don't drink the Thai Tea so not sure.

[Spitfire]

There are great varying differences of quality with this drink, and some locals I know have raised concerns about quality of ingredients at some places they have bought it at (including the said 'yuk' taste raised here), can be hit and miss, but they say if it's made right then is very nice but it's like with all this stuff you never know what you are really buying or from who...as finding a decent ad hok stall casually wherever you roam is not as simple as some may think.

[Winkie]

The Tea you are looking for is Cha Dam (Black Tea). The nicest brand that I have found is 'Thumbnail. You should get the Red one, not the Gold one (which is more like English Tea).

Its remarkably cheap, and available quite widely

Make sure you 'brew' it the correct way

[wpcoe]

Cha Dam (Black Tea) is actually reddish-orange? Jeez. Wonder why I didn't make the connection! LOL

Okay, next time out, I'll ask for Chaa Dahm and look for Thumbnail brand and see where that leads.

I'm not surprised that it might be cheap, as it is sold at practically every food court, market and restaurant nationwide.

What's the correct way to brew it? I'm anticipating packaging (and instructions, if there are any) to be in Thai. I've watched vendors brew it at markets, and they seem to scoop "grounds" into a cloth sieve and pour hot water over it, and maybe even dunk it a few times?

[PeteC]

.....they seem to scoop "grounds" into a cloth sieve and pour hot water over it, and maybe even dunk it a few times?

That's really grandpa's old sock....gives it flavour. Pete

[wpcoe]

The Tea you are looking for is Cha Dam (Black Tea). The nicest brand that I have found is 'Thumbnail. You should get the Red one, not the Gold one (which is more like English Tea).

If there were a prize, Winkie, you would win it! Cha Dam it is!

The other night at the grocery store on the ground floor of The Shopping Mall (I think that's its name? The place with the IT stores on the 3rd floor?) and after scouring the "Tea" aisle and not finding anything close, I asked a clerk and she brought me directly to the "Coffee" aisle, and voila! Chaa Dahm! They didn't have Thumbnail brand. But, as soon as I opened the package at home, the aroma told me I had the right thing. Brewed a large cup and: ahhhh! Perfect!

cha_dahm.jpg (37.34 KiB) Viewed 1161 times

Bonus points to migrant: On the back of the foil package I bought, there's a picture of a red can which apparently contains 50 tea bags. Odd that they would package bags in a can, no?

ch_dahm_can.jpg (23.19 KiB) Viewed 1161 times

My quest now, is to find tea bags. Making tea with loose grounds can be a bit messy, and I'm in the running for the Mr. Lazy title.

[PeteC]

Here's a new avatar for anyone who wants to use it. Pete

pg.jpg (1.56 KiB) Viewed 1136 times

[Coldmike]

Brewing Instructions: Make long 'sock' out of cheesecloth, pour in tea powder, tie knot in bag and put into large pot of boiling water. Boil about 30 min to one hour. Pull out bag and let pot cool. Dump tea in trash and wash bag for next time To sweeten the whole pot, add sugar before cooling and cook about ten more minutes(otherwise add sweet condensed milk to each cup later). When no longer real hot, pour tea thru a cloth filter into pitchers that can be cooled in fridge for your consumption. Last, give sincere thanks to whoever went to all the trouble to make your delicious cup of Thai Iced Tea.