Shai Magnan (Sudanese Burned Milk Tea)

By Yewande Komolafe

Updated October 13, 2025

  • Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
15 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Rating
4(149)
Comments
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A style of milk tea from Sudan, shai magnan is typically made by cooking milk down to a deep golden brown. Black tea is brewed in a separate pot with spices and sugar, then eventually poured gently into the browned milk. Spattering ensues, and, for the uninitiated, it could prompt some dodging to avoid hot milk burns. Here, molasses, with its robust sweet-savoriness, mimics the nuanced flavor of the cooked milk without having to cook it down. It's a shortcut that results in a similar brew for an anytime cup to enjoy on its own or with a favorite butter cookie or shortbread.

Featured in: The Spiced Tea That Starts the Day in Sudan

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 4 cups milk of choice, dairy or unsweetened nondairy

  • 3 tablespoons molasses, such as blackstrap, or ¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed

  • Salt

  • 1 tablespoon cardamom pods, crushed open

  • 5 star anise pods, broken into pieces

  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves

  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 2 cinnamon sticks

  • 4 tablespoons loose black tea leaves (or contents of 6 to 8 teabags)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

26 grams carbs; 24 milligrams cholesterol; 207 calories; 2 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 9 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 640 milligrams sodium; 8 grams protein; 22 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pour 2 cups milk in a medium pot set over medium-high heat. Add the molasses, a pinch of salt, cardamom, star anise, cloves, ginger and cinnamon.

  2. Step 2

    Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 8 minutes. Stir, add the tea leaves and allow to steep with spices, stirring frequently to keep milk from boiling over, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining milk.

  3. Step 3

    Place a fine-mesh sieve over a teapot or serving container. Pour in the liquid, and discard the leaves and spices. Divide among 4 cups and serve immediately.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
149 user ratings
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Comments

Hacky McHackface

You know what has cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, licorice (an anise flavor), and cardamom? A pumpkin spice tea bag. Don't stone me! I put forth this suggestion for anyone else who doesn't have beautiful (and expensive) whole spices in their pantry. 1. Heat up a small amount of milk and molasses or brown sugar 2. Seep pumpkin spice black tea bag in water (as usual) 3. combine + enjoy.

Bibi

Can we have the original, genuine article, please? How do you really make this tea with the burnished milk? I am not convinced by the molasses. Thank you.

Afi

It's not going to taste the same if you don't brew the tea in milk.

J from MA

I enjoyed the "cooked milk" flavor of this but one huge problem is straining out tea leaves/spices. Straining didn't work for me and I tried a few different options. I highly recommend leaving tea in teabags (if you use those) or using disposable paper tea filters (if you use loose tea). Otherwise you might find yourself sputtering on the tea leaves (as I did) since I couldn't filter them out!

Kammy

Could this work with creamy oat milk?

Jane K

Has anyone tried preparing the milk/spice ahead of time and adding plain milk to (a fourth) of the spiced milk to make just one cup at a time?

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