A rich, creamy black tea brewed with sweetened condensed milk, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. This beloved Adeni tea is intensely sweet, deeply aromatic, and the social glue of Yemeni daily life.
Nutrition & Info
Allergen Warnings
Equipment Needed
Instructions
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1
Add water, cardamom pods, cloves, and cinnamon stick to a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
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2
Add tea leaves and boil vigorously for 2-3 minutes until the liquid turns deep reddish-brown.
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3
Add sweetened condensed milk and stir well. Return to a boil briefly.
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4
Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute more to let the flavors marry. Taste and add sugar if desired.
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5
Strain into small tea glasses and serve hot. The tea should be intensely sweet, creamy, and fragrant.
Did You Know?
Shai Adeni owes its unique use of condensed milk to British colonial influence in Aden, where imported tinned milk became a tea staple that Yemenis made their own.
Chef's Notes
Equipment Tips
- small saucepan
- strainer
- tea glasses
The Story Behind Shai Adeni
Shai Adeni is the signature tea of Aden, Yemen's cosmopolitan port city. The style developed during the British colonial period when imported condensed milk became widely available. Adeni tea shops became social institutions where businessmen, dockworkers, and travelers mingled over tiny glasses of intensely sweet, spiced tea. The tradition survived independence and continues today, with Adeni tea shops remaining vital community gathering spaces across Yemen and the Yemeni diaspora.
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