Teh tarik means pulled tea, and it is Malaysia's favorite hot drink, especially at mamak restaurants, where it is made by tea pullers who pour it back and forth between two mugs held a meter apart without spilling a drop. The pulling cools the tea to a drinkable temperature, mixes in the sweetened condensed milk and whips up a frothy head. It is strong, sweet and creamy, and comes hot or iced, and nobody in Malaysia ever orders just one.

It is the drink of late night conversations, early breakfasts and every big screen sporting event in Kuala Lumpur, including nineteen Malaysian Grands Prix. At home, a gentler pull from a lower height works perfectly, and spills are part of the training program.

The tea

Ingredients

• 2 cups (480 ml) freshly boiled water
• 2 tablespoons strong loose black tea
• 4 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons evaporated milk

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