A salty tea made with milk—this unfamiliar combination is a unique cultural creation shaped by Mongolia’s vast steppes and the wisdom of the nomads who have lived there for generations.\n\nThe drink we explore today is Mongolia’s traditional tea, suutei tsai (Сүүтэй цай). In Mongolian, the name literally means “tea with milk,” derived from süü (ᠰᠦᠨ, Сүү; milk) and tsai (ᠴᠠᠢ, цай; tea), and it is entirely distinct from the sweet milk teas made by simply adding milk to tea.\n\nAs its name suggests, suutei tsai clearly reflects the central role milk plays in the Mongolian nomadic diet. In Mongolia’s harsh natural environment, livestock has long been the foundation of survival, and milk obtained from these animals served not merely as a drink but as a vital source of nutrition and energy.\nFor Mongolians, suutei tsai is both a daily source of strength and a symbol of warm hospitality offered to guests. It warms the body, restores energy, and sustains life amid extreme climates.\n\nWhile tea is often associated with sweetness or floral aromas, suutei tsai breaks this expectation with its distinctive balance of saltiness and richness—an unexpected yet deeply comforting flavor that tells the story of Mongolia’s land, people, and way of life.
The basic preparation of suutei tsai is surprisingly simple, yet its flavor is deep and complex. As a landlocked country where water has long been scarce across much of the region, Mongolia developed a unique approach to tea. Instead of brewing tea with water, nomads boiled it in milk. Suutei tsai is made by simmering black tea directly in milk and seasoning it with salt.\n\nAt times, a small amount of butter or animal fat is added to enhance both flavor and caloric value. Unlike the sweet milk teas commonly found elsewhere, suutei tsai contains no sweetness at all.\nIts defining character lies in its savory, salty, and creamy taste. Historically, sugar was difficult to obtain in Mongolia, so salt was used instead. This salinity helped maintain the body’s balance of fluids and electrolytes in the country’s dry climate, while also revitalizing bodies worn down by the physical demands of nomadic life.\n\nThe addition of butter deepens the drink’s richness and softness, while providing essential energy during harsh winters.\n\nAs all the ingredients simmer together, suutei tsai becomes more than a simple beverage—it offers the sustaining comfort of a light meal and an unforgettable, distinctive flavor. In this way, suutei tsai stands as a functional yet deeply satisfying drink, one that fully embodies the wisdom and way of life of Mongolia’s nomadic culture.
One of the elements that adds depth and variety to the flavor of suutei tsai is the type of milk used. Mongolian nomads prepare suutei tsai with milk from the animals they raise—goats, horses, sheep, and even camels. Each type of milk has its own fat content and distinctive aroma, lending suutei tsai a unique character and richness.\n\nFor example, mare’s milk carries a subtle tang and a refreshing quality compared to other milks, while camel’s milk is known for its bold aroma and pronounced savory richness. Sheep’s and goat’s milk, higher in fat than cow’s milk, create a thicker, creamier texture. This diversity in milk choice reflects the nomads’ harmonious relationship with nature and their adaptive way of life—adjusting their diet according to the animals they keep and the changing seasons.\n\nAs each region and household favors different types of milk, the taste of suutei tsai subtly shifts from place to place. Even though it is the same drink, every cup offers a slightly different experience, making suutei tsai endlessly intriguing as a culinary tradition.
Did you know that meat is sometimes added to suutei tsai?\nFor travelers, one of the most common ways to experience this is during a journey across Mongolia’s steppes or deserts.\n\nAfter enjoying khorkhog for dinner, the leftover meat is often added to warm suutei tsai the following morning. As the chilled meat meets the hot milk tea, it softens gently, turning the drink into a hearty and comforting breakfast.\n\nYou may find it even more surprising that Mongolians also add dried meat to suutei tsai. Known as borts, this traditional preserved food is made by thinly slicing meat and air-drying it under the sun and wind. Developed by nomads as a practical way to store and carry food for long periods, borts reflects their deep understanding of survival in a harsh environment. When borts is simmered together with suutei tsai, the drink transforms into something far beyond tea—it becomes a nourishing meal in a bowl.\n\nAs the meat infuses the tea, it develops a deeper umami richness, reminiscent of the comforting, savory depth of Korean seolleongtang. The chewy texture of borts and the concentrated meat flavor blend seamlessly with the salty, creamy milk tea, creating a restorative dish that warms both body and spirit in extreme cold.\n\nThis practice perfectly illustrates the Mongolian approach to survival and maximum use of ingredients. It proves that suutei tsai is not merely a beverage, but a condensed expression of nomadic life—shaped by necessity, resilience, and a profound connection to the land.
In Mongolia, suutei tsai carries a cultural significance that goes far beyond that of a simple beverage. Offering suutei tsai to a guest is one of the oldest expressions of hospitality among Mongolian nomads—a gesture of welcome and respect.\nA hot bowl of suutei tsai warms the body of a stranger, softens emotional distance, and serves as the starting point for genuine human connection.\n\nSuutei tsai is an essential presence not only in Mongolian homes but also in urban Mongolian restaurants, where it is almost always on the menu. It is so deeply rooted in daily life that encountering a Mongolian restaurant without suutei tsai is rare. Savory, creamy, and sometimes enriched with the flavor of meat, this distinctive milk tea invites curiosity at first sip.\n\nIf you ever have the chance to visit Mongolia—or come across a Mongolian restaurant nearby—do not hesitate to try suutei tsai. Through a single cup, you can experience the vast landscapes of Mongolia, the rhythm of nomadic life, and a culture of warm hospitality that has endured for generations. An unexpected journey of flavor awaits.
This video introduces suutei tsai, one of Mongolia’s most iconic traditional drinks.\nWhen Koreans are asked what it tastes like after trying it, many simply say, \n“It reminds me of seolleongtang.”\nCurious to discover the unique charm of suutei tsai for yourself?
