How to Make Teh Tarik at Home: The Ceylon BOPF Method

Teh tarik is Malaysia's most beloved drink — pulled tea, frothy and rich, served in a glass at every mamak from Penang to Johor. The technique looks effortless when a seasoned tarik master does it. At home, it is simpler than it looks, and the result is dramatically better when you start with the right tea.

Why the Tea Grade Matters

The secret to a great teh tarik is not the pulling — it is the leaf. Most mamak stalls use a commercial tea dust blend designed for speed and consistency. What they are chasing, whether they know it or not, is the character of Ceylon BOPF: a small, tightly rolled black tea grade that brews fast, hits hard, and produces a deep copper liquor that holds its strength under condensed milk.

BOPF stands for Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings — a fine-grade Ceylon black tea that infuses in under 3 minutes and delivers the malty, brisk backbone that teh tarik is built on. Using single-origin Ceylon BOPF instead of generic tea dust is the single biggest upgrade you can make to your home teh tarik.

What You Need

• 2 teaspoons Ceylon BOPF loose leaf tea (or 2 tea bags)
• 200ml freshly boiled water
• 3–4 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk (adjust to taste)
• Two tall glasses or jugs for pulling
• A fine strainer

How to Make It

1. Brew strong. Steep the BOPF in 200ml of boiling water for 4–5 minutes. You want it darker and stronger than you would normally drink it — the condensed milk will balance it out.
2. Strain into a tall glass. Remove all the leaf before pulling.
3. Add condensed milk. Stir it in while the tea is still hot.
4. Pull. Pour the tea from one glass to another in a long, steady stream, raising the pouring glass as high as you comfortably can. Repeat 4–6 times. Each pour aerates the tea and builds the froth.
5. Serve immediately. Teh tarik is best drunk hot, straight after pulling, while the foam is still alive.

Tips for Better Froth

The froth comes from aeration, not from the condensed milk alone. A longer pour distance means more air incorporated and a thicker foam. Keep your wrist relaxed and pour in a thin, controlled stream rather than a wide splash. The tea needs to fall through air, not hit the side of the glass.

If you want it iced — teh tarik sejuk — pull it hot first, then pour over a full glass of ice. The contrast of hot frothy tea hitting cold ice gives you the best of both.

The Upgrade Worth Making

Once you have made teh tarik with single-origin Ceylon BOPF, the difference from generic tea dust is obvious. The liquor is brighter, the malt is cleaner, and the finish does not have the flat, slightly stale quality of commodity blends.

Our Ceylon BOPF carries the Sri Lanka Tea Board Lion Logo — the same grade behind the best teh tarik in the country, now available to brew at home.

Shop Ceylon BOPF →