Pakistani chai · 10 minutes
Doodh Patti Chai Recipe (Pakistani Milk Tea)
Milk first. Boil the leaves. Let it rise three times.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenDoodh patti is tea leaves boiled straight in milk with no water, the strong creamy chai of Pakistani dhabas. It turns weak or bitter at home. The fix is enough tea leaves, boiling them in milk, letting the chai rise and fall three times for strength, and straining at once.
The 3 laws of doodh patti chai
Why this recipe works
Water and milk
Creamy body.
Steep
Strength and colour.
Once
Deep, dhaba flavour.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Chai
The NineFoods chai gauge
Is it strong enough?
Look at the colour.
Method · 2 stages
Step by step
Boil
- Bring milk, cardamom and sugar to a boil; add tea.
- Let it rise, lower heat, rise again three times. Use the gauge above.
Serve
- Strain into cups.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Too few leaves.
Fix next time
Use more tea.
Why
Boiled too long.
Fix next time
Strain after 3 rises.
Why
Low fat milk.
Fix next time
Use full fat milk.
Why
Left standing.
Fix next time
Serve straight away.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Black tea | Strength | Tea bags |
| Cardamom | Aroma | Ginger |
| Full fat milk | Body | Evaporated milk |
| Sugar | Sweetness | Gur |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Rusks, parathas, samosas or biscuits.
Store
Best fresh.
Reheat
Reheat gently once.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 2 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 2 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is it strong enough) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Doodh Patti Chai FAQ
What is doodh patti?
Tea boiled directly in milk with no water.
Is it the same as karak chai?
Similar; karak chai is the Gulf version, often with evaporated milk.
Which tea is best?
Strong black tea leaves or granules.
Why boil three times?
It deepens strength and flavour.