Kashmiri chai

Name: Kashmiri chai
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Pakistani
Ingredients: 4 cardamom pods, seeds removed and roughly crushed; a small pinch of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda); ¼ teaspoon kosher sea salt flakes; 375–500 ml (13–17 fl oz/1½–2 cups) milk; 2½ teaspoons good-quality Kashmiri tea or oolong tea leaves; ½ teaspoon organic sugar; 1–2 teaspoons ground pistachios and almonds, to garnish; 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
25 min

Appears in

Lands of the Curry Leaf

By Peter Kuruvita

Published 2018

About

Also known as noon chai, this amazingly pink beverage is made from the same tea leaves as green tea, but varies dramatically in taste. A bit salty and incredibly creamy, this chai tea is as unique in taste as it is in appearance. The colour comes from the tea reacting with the bicarbonate of soda.

Ingredients

2½ teaspoons good-quality Kashmiri tea or oolong tea leaves
a small pinch of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

Asia
Pakistan
Drinks
Gluten-free
Vegetarian

Method

Place a saucepan over medium heat. Add the tea leaves and 185–250 ml (6–9 fl oz/¾–1 cup) water and bring to the