Hong Kong Milk Tea is a delightful drink that I can’t wait to try during my first trip to Hong Kong. The drink is almost always served scorching, with a perfect sweetening. It embodies the perfect amount of sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk.
The drink gives users a shock with next to no undesirable buzz. Not to mention its mix of teas, making for a superbly strong or fragrant cup. Overall, it’s easy to pair with anything, from a simple rice bowl to an exquisite noodle dish you’d find at any Hong Kong restaurant.
What Goes Well With Hong Kong Milk Tea?
HK Milk Tea is a versatile beverage that pairs well with an assortment of meals. I like to eat it in the morning with something Lunch-oriented like spiced tofu or a noodle bowl. It’s also great with a rice bowl for lunch; that way, you have a hearty yet non-overstuffing dish to go with it.
Appetizers to Pair it With
- Pork Gyoza
- Korean Fried Chicken Wings
- Veggie Spring Roll
- Pork Spring Roll
- Crispy Chicken Cutlet
- Chili Pepper Crispy Tofu
- Gai Lan
- Taiwanese Deep-Fried Chicken Appetizer
- Four Season Green Bean
- Filipino Pork Ribs
- Szechuan Beef
- Korean Gangnam Chicken
- Congee
Noodle Bowls to
- Deluxe Crispy Noodle Bowl with BBQ pork, shrimp, chicken & veggies
- Thai Style Crispy Noodle Bowl with onion, green pepper, red pepper, and sweet & spicy sour sauce
- Teriyaki Thick Noodle Bowl With onions, bell peppers, cabbage, and sesame seeds
- Vietnamese Noodle Bowl With chicken, pork spring rolls, shrimp, veggies, and peanuts
- Black Pepper Crispy Noodle Bowl With mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers
- Singapore Noodle Bowl With bean sprouts, egg, green onions, and sesame seeds
- Stir-Fried Flat Noodle Bowl With bean sprouts and green onions
Rice Bowls to Pair it With
- Butter Chicken Bowl With rice, butter sauce, and naan bread
- Taiwanese Deep-Fried Chicken Bowl With rice and vegetables
- Korean BBQ Beef Rib Bowl With rice, vegetables, and sesame seeds
- Macau Curry Stew With rice and beef stew with potatoes
- Hungarian Spicy Tomato Beef & Bacon Stew With rice, beef, bacon, carrots, onions, and celery
- Satay Bowl With coconut rice, vegetables, peanuts, and peanut sauce
- Japanese NY Steak Bowl With rice, vegetables, sesame seeds, and sesame sauce
- Lemongrass Pork Chop Rice Bowl With rice, pork spring roll, pan-fried egg, shredded pork skin, fresh veggies, and fish sauce on the side
- Thai Green Curry Bowl With rice, broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, and basil
- Japanese Pork Katsu Curry Bowl With rice, carrots, potatoes, and Japanese curry sauce
- Filipino Rib Bowl With rice and either honey garlic or spicy garlic ribs
- Teriyaki Beef Rice Bowl With rice, vegetables, sesame seeds, and teriyaki sauce
When Do People Drink HK Milk Tea?
Though tea is a morning drink in the western world, HK Milk Tea is a lunchtime drink in Hong Kong. I like to drink straight green, white, or black tea in the morning and transition to HK tea by lunchtime. The two cups keep me going throughout the day, especially since I don’t drink coffee.
If you’re someone who needs an added boost of caffeine than me and love milk tea, then definitely drink one in the morning. Personally, the drink feels too heavy to drink as soon as I wake up. I’m an early riser, around 6:00 AM, and like to wait for my first meal until at least 10:00 AM, making noon the perfect time for lunch and milk tea.
How to Make HK Milk Tea
Ingredients
- 6 cups of hot water
- Ten tablespoons of tea leaves or fannings
- 1⅓ cups evaporated milk (315 ml, ⅓ cup per serving)
- One to two tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk
- A strainer lined with a piece of fine cheesecloth
Instructions
- Add six cups of hot water to a pot.
- Add the tea and heat to the boiling point—stew for 15 minutes.
- Pour the tea through a fine-meshed strainer with cotton cheesecloth tied around it. Though the strainer is optional, it helps ensure you get every tea piece throughout your drink.
- Portion the tea (one serving is a little more than one cup). Blend in ⅓ cup of evaporated milk and one teaspoon of sweet consolidated milk, or to taste. Mix thoroughly, and serve immediately.
Where to Buy HK Milk Tea Leaves
There are plenty of places that sell Hong Kong Milk Tea leaves. I like to google what’s around me and see what pops up. Googling is especially effective if you’re a frequent traveler. Any standard tea shop should sell some tea leaves you can use.
What Does HK Milk Tea Taste Like
Hong Kong Milk Tea is a versatile drink that is either very sweet or strong, depending on how its made. The solid and robust flowery taste is highly unique, whereas no other drink has a similarity. Condensed milk makes it sweeter, and evaporated milk makes it stronger taste-wise, so take your pick or combine the two for the best of both worlds.
Types of Tea Used
Traditionally, the tea is made with black tea mixed with sweetened condensed or evaporated milk. However, any tea should suffice. I prefer green tea over black tea, and I like the stronger dominant flavor it gives the drink. Play around with some of your favorite teas and see what turns out the best.
Hot or Cold?
Though I imagine there is somewhere that sells cold Hong Kong Milk Tea, I haven’t come across one yet. The tea is almost always served extremely hot with the perfect amount of sweetening. If you’re not a fan of hot drinks, I still urge you to try it. It’s a drink that everyone should try at some point.
Where to Buy Authentic HK Milk Tea in Edmonton – Rice Bowl Deluxe
Visit Rice Bowl Deluxe in Edmonton, AB, for an excellent Hong Kong Milk Tea cup. The restaurant has a versatile and easy to order menu featuring rice bowls, noodle bowls, authentic Asian cuisine, and quick bites. Visit the restaurant at any of their three locations!
