The spiced tea that starts the day in Sudan

Shai magnan (Sudanese burned milk tea). Shai magnan, infused with spices and combined with sugar and caramelized milk, can be made just how you like it. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. (Julia Gartland/The New York Times)

There's a popular refrain among Somali creators on TikTok: “Ilahayow guri aan shaah laga karin hana dajin,” or “God, don’t let us live in a house where tea is not brewed.”

What is it about a warm cup of tea? For Ifrah F. Ahmed, a Somali-born writer, chef and recipe contributor for New York Times Cooking, who grew up drinking caano iyo shaah and the many variations of milk tea from across the world, it’s a connection to her younger self.