Kashmiri Chai or Pink tea recipe with detailed illustration. Like many, I also came across this tea for the first time in one of the weddings. Getting a good Kashmiri tea in Karachi could be difficult and I had to go really far to get it. So making my own as per my taste was a quest.
In order to develop a deep pink color naturally, I did three attempts. The pink or gulabi color that developed in third attempt was worth it. I have tried to give detailed pictorial step by step so you can make it in the first try.
Many people complain Kashmiri pink tea is just like 'badaam pista doodh' or 'hareera'. That is because many restaurant serve a very milky Kashmiri tea. The Kashmiri tea with less milk has more intense Kashmiri tea flavor and warmth. So I like my home-made Kashmiri tea more than what it served on 'dhabba' or cafe.
Kashmiri tea has very low-caffeine like other green tea compared to black tea. So doesn't hinder your sleep like black tea or chai.
What more? It is quite nutritious and rich with milk, cream, nuts and spices. Some people calls it healthy for it's nutritional richness but I feel it is quite dense in calories and not great for regular consumption if you want to loose weight.
Kashmir and Pink Kashmiri tea
Kashmir is heaven on earth and their culture, jewelry and food all are fascinating. Even Kashmiri people are very hospitable and beautiful.
In authentic Kashmiri tea salt is added and it is called noon chai. But some non Kashmiri people in my city (Karachi) add both salt and sugar so it's up to you. In Kashmir, where temperature drops below zero degree they add cream and butter along with powdered dry fruits in the tea. This makes this tea ideal for winters as it is filling and body warming. In my city temperature hardly goes below 10 degree so we enjoy it without fats (like cream and butter) and with little dry fruits. So you adjust that too as per weather in your city.
Tips for beginners
The pink color in Kashmiri tea is reaction of chlorophyll present in tea. So basically you have to cook the tea enough to get all the chlorophyll released into water. You also need a little baking soda in tea to accelerate the reaction. A pinch is enough. Do NOT add more than that as too much baking soda can spoil the taste.
Kashmiri Tea not turning pink
This process of cooking pink might take place in 30 minutes and sometimes may need 45 minutes. If all water has evaporated and still you don't get a reddish color then add more water and cook more. Once the reaction has completed and we have a deep red color. We have to add ice-cold water. This shocks the tea and we get deeper red color.
I'm trying to explain this so you can handle it if something goes wrong. Like normal chai you can adjust milk, sugar, and spices to your taste. I added only two spices but you can add more or none at all.
Can I make Kashmiri Tea with Green Tea?
Yes! you can make it with green tea too. Use good quality pure green tea. The cooking might be longer up to 1 hour until you see desired maroon color in Kehwa.
How to make Kashmiri Chai or Pink tea or gulabi tea or noon chai
Take water and add Kashmiri tea leaves. Add cardamom.
salt, cinnamon and bring it to boil.
Add ⅛ teaspoon of baking soda, you can skip baking soda if you decide to cook longer for 45-60 minutes.
Let it boil on medium flame.
The color changes. Continue boiling.
You can see a slight pink color at this stage but keeping cooking,
The water is reduced to half. And the color is deep red.
Add icy cold water. And mix well for 1 minute.
Kehwa of Kashmiri tea is ready. You can strain and after cooling you store in fridge at this stage.
When you wish to make the tea add milk about ½ cup or more for each serving,
A beautiful pink color is visible. Add sugar 1 teaspoon for each serving.( Add only if you like it sweet, authentic Kashmiri tea is saltish and not sweet.)
Boil for another few minutes. Strain and add ¼ teaspoon pistachio and ¼ teaspoon almond in each serving. Serve hot.
Hungry for more tea? Check these!
Kashmiri tea recipe, Kashmiri chai recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 3 tablespoon kashmiri tea leaves
- 9 green cardamom, ,crushed ( choti elaichi)
- 3 inch cinnamon, ,broken into chip (dal cheeni)
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛- 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda, (khane ka soda)
- 1 cup cold water, (pani)
- 3 to 4 tablespoon sugar, (cheeni),( optional, since sugar is not added in Kashmiri tea but some non kashmiri people like it sweet.)
- 2 cup milk for strong or 3 cup milk for light, (dhood)
- ½ cup cream, optional
- 1 tablespoon grounded pistachios, (pista), optional
- 1 tablespoon grounded almonds, (badaam), optional
- * For authentic taste and aroma use Kashmiri tea. If not available use pure green tea leaves can also be used.
Other variations ( in some regions these ingredients are also added)
- 4 jasmine flowers, (chambeli)
- 1 star anise, (badyaan phool)
- 4 cloves, (laung)
Instructions
- In a wide based skillet, take water, Kashmiri tea leaves, salt and cardamom, cinnamon.
- Bring it boil and let it boil for a minute. Now add baking soda.
- Cook more till you get deep red color and water is reduced to half. (20-30 minutes)
- Add ice cold water in boiling hot tea. Mix well for 1 minutes.
- Kehwa is ready. You can strain, cool and store in fridge for 3-4 days.
- When making tea add milk, sugar (if using) and powdered dry fruits to kehwa.
- Cook for another 2-3 minutes and serve. Garnish with more nuts.
Prof. Tariq awan says
Furthermore.. With this invaluable response, advises and kindness .. Can i have some business-specific discussion with you at whatsapp please?
#0324-531-8448.
It would be the glad and honour for me to have you there..
Thank you!
Tariq awan says
Aoa.
Very beautiful.. the way u have delivered your experience .. So amazing ..
By the way, i am just going to start "کشمیری چا ے " as my first ever business venture, here at gulberg lahore. Inshaa-Allah. I was very exited to know the recipe..found yours.. And now am very exited to try it tomorrow and just waiting anxiously to find it at beautiful PINK colour.. I am very delightful for having your very informative blog.. Thanks alot!!
جزاک اللّه
Recipe 52 says
OMG! That’s such a lovely feedback. Thanks a lot! Love from Karachi.
Tariq awan says
Love from Lahore too..!!
So, finally, i tried it about an hour ago.. First ever experience was so amazing .. I got the beautiful taste and a pink colour without having any soda, but that pink was little dark intead of a shinny pink look, how can i improve it, ? Would you help me pls?
Recipe 52 says
Tariq, tea pink is a faded dark generally and not rooh afza pink. Just make sure your cooking in a stew or non-stick pot. You can add extra milk for lighter color but that will dilute the taste. Hope this helps.
Tariq awan says
Yes my dear, it will definately dilute the taste..how can i achieve the thickness ..? Someone suggests me custard power , what do you think?
Recipe 52 says
Cream or sweetened condensed or unsweetened condensed milk can be used for thickness. If making commercially, try adding thick cream frosting on top like they do for hot chocolate.
Custard powder might add vanilla flavor and make it too thick so either very little.
Devide kehwa in 2-3 cup and test all options. Also have someone else taste it. You need to experiment a bit to perfect your recipe.
Prof. Tariq awan says
Yes you are absolutely right dear. 2,3 different experiments worked amazingly..
Having One more question pls, what about the addition of milk powder to attract thickness ..?
Recipe 52 says
Yes! Milk powder gives similar to “karha howa Doodh“ effect, and also a little thickness too. Make sure to cook it after adding milk powder, so it doesn’t give raw taste. And use good quality milk powder.
Prof. Tariq awan says
Yes, Milk powder helps too...
Finally i have inaugurated my restaurant serving a HoT Pink tea ☺, Now here at gulberg it competes the rivals from the top.. Alhamdolillah.. Experience till today is very interesting and joyful..
A SPECIAL SPECIAL thanks to you!! I have no words to thank my mentor...
But i am anxiously waiting to serve YOU.. I am hopeful to have that pleasure ...😊
Recipe 52 says
That’s really great. I’d love to taste it on my visit to Lahore.
Prof. Tariq awan says
Furthermore.. With this invaluable response, advises and kindness .. Can i have some business-specific discussion with you at whatsapp please?
#0324-531-8448.
It would be the glad and honour for me to have you there..
Thank you!
Anjali says
Thanks for sharing your own way of making Kashmiri tea!
Recipe 52 says
Thanks a lot Anjali for leaving a comment. Hope this helps you.
Shameera Asharaf says
Asawrwb Beautiful pink chai with lovely pictures thanks for sharing. I came know this tea through my neighbor she used to make this tea omg super delicious and beautiful dark pink (roohafzha pink) I have tried to make this tea but never could achieve the perfect pink color I use green tea where can I buy this Kashmiri pink tea leaves i live in n.y. Please Can you guide me through thanks.
Recipe 52 says
Hey dear, not sure where you could find in America. Probably, at the Indian Store. Sorry for not being of much help here.
Shaffrin says
I was looking for this pink kashimiri tea for quite sometime.. Very easy step by step guide... Let me try this now... Thank you so much
Recipe 52 says
Thanks a lot for the feedback, I hope it turned out good. Good Luck!
Rukham Ajaz says
Excellent technique. It was so hard to find the perfect tea leaves in canada but I did find them. It was perfect. Perfect colour and taste. I cannot thank you enough for sharing this. Sending love and prayers your way <3
Recipe 52 says
Hi Rukham Ajaz, I can't thank you enough for the lovely comment and prayers.I'm so glad this helped you.:)
singh says
Hey I found it on eBay - search pink tea - I live in California and I just bought it last week on there
Eli says
Thank you for publishing your version of this recipe! I got some green tea from Balochistan and it worked very well. Moreover, to my taste, you got the tea-soda-water-ratio well figured out. As a last step, I added the method of aerating the tea by scooping it up and letting it fall back into the pot, but didn't do this for a very long time. (5 mins perhaps) Still, I got the impression that this improved the deep red colour even further. Although I had a dark red brew to start with already. Any thoughts on why the aerating method would do that? Thanks again -- you made my day!
Recipe 52 says
Thanks Eli for leaving a detailed review.
The aerating is a common method used at all DHABBA (STREET STYLE CHAI CAFE) for all milk teas. I don't have any scientific reason for your question but it is well practised way of making tea. It might be extra oxygen from air helping the enhanced color or the areating might be helping to combine all elements well.
You've made my day too since this recipe is very dear to me. Thanks
Saj says
Hi there I’m just finished my Kashmiri chai it was so nice ?? thanks I did boil the water for about 40/50 minutes it’s well worth it i used almost all the ingredients but left out the baking soda thanks again Saj
Recipe 52 says
I'm so happy to read you comment, so much insight and detail. Thanks buddy!
Maria says
Can't wait to try this! Also, read through the comments for additional tips - can't believe how negative some people are and kudos to you for dealing with it in such a great manner. I think it comes down to education and common courtesy which unfortunately is not very common in the sub-continent. Thanks for sharing the recipe and I will definitely follow up with my experience. Disclaimer: I am rubbish in the kitchen
Recipe 52 says
Thanks dear for your kind words. ?
Anonymous says
Lovely recipe! Thanks for sharing. Just wanted to clarify milk to kawa ratio. When I am ready to make 1 cup, how much milk and how much kawa. Thank you
Kiren Sheikh says
Lovely recipe! Thanks for sharing. Just wanted to clarify milk to kawa ratio. When I am ready to make 1 cup, how much milk and how much kawa? Thank you !
Recipe 52 says
The ratio is not very strict. The less the milk, the deep pink and strong taste it will have.
Usually, a soft pink is preferred.
Anonymous says
Thank you!!
Anonymous says
Adding baking soda isnt necessary..i boiled the leaves thrice without adding baking soda n by adding milk it turned in to pink tea
Recipe 52 says
That’s true, baking soda speeds up the process. You can skip baking soda if you cook it for very long. Thanks.
Luis Minem says
Some well water already comes with baking soda in it (naturally). This is the case with the water from my well, which is a little alkaline. This alkalinity (slight) does no harm.
Recipe 52 says
Thanks for elaborating. ???