Yuenyeung Recipe (Hong Kong-Style Coffee Milk Tea)

Serving affordable hybridized Canto-Western dishes and beverages, the establishments became an emblem of the unique cultural confluence that characterizes this former British colony. In Cantonese, yuenyeung also refers to mandarin ducks.

The birds, which are believed to mate for life, are a symbol of marital union in traditional Chinese culture and are an apt namesake for the harmoniously blended drink that will amp up your mornings.

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp. loose black tea leaves (such as Ceylon, orange pekoe, pu-erh, or a combination), or 6 tea bags with strings removed
• ¾ cup evaporated milk
• 2 Tbsp. (1¼ oz.) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cup hot black coffee

Step 1

• In a small pot, bring 2½ cups of water and the tea leaves to a rolling boil. Turn the heat to medium and cook at a strong simmer until the liquid is dark and fragrant, about 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in the evaporated and condensed milks. Turn the heat to medium-high and continue cooking until the milk is steaming, about 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat. Set a fine mesh strainer in a teapot and strain the milk tea into it. (If using teabags, simply remove them.) Stir in the coffee, pour into mugs, and serve hot; alternatively, pour over ice and serve chilled.