What does Karak mean?
The name comes from the South Asian word 'kadak', meaning strong. That is exactly the point.
Karak is not tea briefly steeped in hot water. Black tea is brewed with spices, then combined with milk to become a strong, creamy drink. Cow's milk or condensed milk are often used in traditional versions.
We make ours a little differently.
Our Karak. Traditional roots, a modern interpretation.
The idea remains the same: bold black tea, time to develop its flavour, milk and good spices.
We use black tea from Ahmad Tea as our base. It has enough character to stand up to the milk and spices.
We cook the tea and spices slowly to let their aromas develop, then add creamy barista oat milk.
The result is our vegan interpretation of Karak: full-bodied, aromatic and creamy, with a lighter taste than a traditional condensed milk version.
Each batch also has our own spice blend. Familiar Karak notes such as cardamom, cloves and cinnamon bring warmth and fragrance. The exact way we balance those flavours remains our little Chaihut secret.
Why we love Karak
Perhaps we love Karak because its story is not a straight line.
A drink travels with people from South Asia to the Gulf. It changes. Families and tea shops develop their own versions, until it becomes part of a region's everyday life.
Today we make our version in Münster. Not exactly like it is in Doha, Dubai or Karachi, but with respect for that history and with our own touch.
Strong black tea, selected spices and creamy oat milk. Warm, aromatic and best enjoyed together.
Our Karak ritual.
