In recent years, milk tea (奶茶 nǎi chá) has become tremendously popular across China. It’s now one of the most iconic Chinese beverages and is particularly favored amongst the young generation. It’s basically what coffee is to Westerners and there are milk tea stands in every city all over the country. Grabbing a cup of milk tea at the mall is a norm; but with popularity comes backlash, and there has been more than sufficient evidence showing this drink’s negative health impacts due to the amount of sugar added, the type of milk that’s used, and just what is considered an appropriate amount of tapioca for one to consume on a weekly basis.
I love milk tea and usually go out of my way to try every new flavor and enjoy every sip. However, a number of videos showing milk tea shops with unsafe and unsanitary practices, particularly for preparing tapioca balls, and news articles about children being hospitalized post-milk tea consumption have surfaced of late. So my mother and I decided to make our own milk tea – a healthier version that can still bring us a taste of home.
Qinglan (left) and her mom pose with their healthy milk tea.
How to make your own healthy milk tea
1. Find a clean mug or glass bottle in your house. Make sure it either has a large opening or is transparent so later on it’s visible how well the ingredients are mixed.
2. Cook a bowl of glutinous rice in a rice cooker. It won’t all be used, so the leftovers can be saved for another meal. The glutinous rice will serve as a much healthier substitute for tapioca balls, whilst preserving the same chewy, sticky effect we all know and love.
3. Boil a kettle of water then pour it into a ceramic bowl, allowing the liquid to cool down slightly. In the meantime, take milk from the fridge and fill up half the mug/bottle with it. The coldness of the milk contrasts with the warmth of the water, ultimately producing the ideal temperature.
4. Now take a spoonful of brown sugar, ideally in a powder state. If not, break the chunks into smaller pieces with your hands and place them in the bowl of boiled water. The quantity is adjustable depending on your sweetness preference.
5. Use chopsticks, or any other utensil, to stir the mixture and help the brown sugar dissolve. Then take out a black tea bag, I typically go with Lipton, and place it in the bowl of water. You will notice significant color changes. Wait until the color stops darkening to remove the teabag.
6. Pour the bowl of water with tea and sugar into the mug/bottle. Take a scoop from the glutinous rice and sprinkle it into the drink. Even though glutinous rice has a tendency to stick together, try and separate them so they’re scattered.
7. Finally, with the same utensil as before, stir the liquid for a minute or two and give your own homemade milk tea a taste!
KEEP READING: How to Make Quick and Easy Glutinous Rice Dumplings (Tang Yuan)
Qinglan Du is a 16-year-old student from Beijing City International School. She’s originally from Beijing but is currently living in Jerusalem with her mother due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Aside from her passion for writing, she enjoys singing, spending time with friends and family, and experiencing new cultures.
Photos: Qinglan Du, Unsplash
