The spelling should be 'halia' and NOT alia.
Teh Alia (Ginger Milk Tea)
This tea is finished with sweetened condensed milk, in yet another example of Singapore's propensity for fusing ingredients. To create a nice, frothy head, pour the tea back and forth several times between two cups before serving. Peel and finely grate one 7"-piece fresh ginger. Put ginger and all its juice onto several layers of cheesecloth; bring up edges to form a purse. Squeeze purse over a bowl, extracting as much ginger juice as possible (you should have 4–5 tbsp.). Discard purse. Put ginger juice and 1⁄2 cup sugar into a small pot and heat over medium heat just until sugar dissolves to make a syrup; let cool. In a pitcher, mix ginger syrup with 3 1⁄2 cups strongly brewed, strained black tea, such as assam, then add 1⁄2 cup milk and 1⁄4 cup sweetened condensed milk; stir well. Serve hot or over ice. Serves 4–6.
