Kashmiri Chai {Pink Tea or Noon Chai}

Kashmiri Chai {Pink Tea or Noon Chai} is a winter delicacy enjoyed by Pakistanis, especially Kashmiris and Punjabis. A dark maroon brew called "kahwa" is first prepared using gunpowder tea leaves, water and a pinch of baking soda. This brew is then mixed and simmered with milk, green cardamom, salt and if desired, sugar. The result is a rich creamy mauve-pink concoction that hits just the spot on a cold winter evening.

What Is Kashmiri Chai ?

Pink Kashmiri Chai, also known as Kashmiri Noon Chai, Gulabi Chai and Sheer Chai, is an acquired taste. Nun Chai or Noon Chai, literally translated means salt tea.

Authentic Kashmiri Chai is brewed in Samovars all day long in Kashmir Valley. Kashmiris often start their day with this versus the traditional chai {black tea}.

The custom of adding salt to the tea arose from the need to prevent dehydration, a common factor in areas of high altitude. Sometimes butter is also added to the tea to help with energy and also to prevent chapped lips.

Growing International Fame

As a result of Kashmiri migration to the region of Punjab, nun chai or salt tea has gained widespread popularity. Pakistani's consume this beverage all winter long, at weddings and funerals alike.

In fact, this popular tea is also gaining some global recognition. As Sribala Subramanian mentions in her article The Art and Science of Kashmir's Pink Tea a famous tea house, thechaispot.com serves a delicious pink tea both in its Manhattan and Arizona locations.

Of course todays popularized version is a far cry from the authentic salty version. Most non Kashmiris find it hard to drink the pink brew without a stiff dose of sugar and a few spoonfuls of chopped nuts added to their cup!

My Kashmiri Roots

My maternal great grandmother was Kashmiri and has left us all with the tradition of drinking authentic salted Kashmiri Chai {Pink Tea or Noon Chai}. Childhood visits to my mother's family in Peshawar bring back fond memories of hot pink tea served for breakfast.

Accompanied with Hot Afghani Naan and Bakarkhani (A salty and flaky breakfast pastry), it's the breakfast that dreams are made of. In our family the tea is brewed with the salt added in. Of course, as a child, I would sneak in some sugar into my salty brew with the result that to this day that is my preferred way of drinking it, sweet and salty.

Gulabi Chai is something that is served daily in my parents home and often in mine, especially when they are visiting. Although I prefer my first brew of the day to be coffee a fragrant cup of Sheer Chai is definitely a welcome addition to my day.

My husband and kids cherish this part of my family's tradition and we all enjoy the tea especially on a cold winter day.

Making Perfectly Pink Kashmiri Chai

There is a lot of hype about the Kashmiri Chai {Pink Tea or Noon Chai} Recipe, getting that elusive pink hue, the arm workout involved. So much so that it probably puts people off when it comes to making a pot full. Trust me, from someone who's grown up in a house where it's made around the clock, it's not that complicated!

A Few Tips For That Perfect Color

• Use The Right Tea Leaves- This is an absolute! If you have Kashmiri Tea Leaves you will get Kashmiri tea. Regular green tea leaves are NOT the same. Even after working your arm out for hours, adding in extra tea leaves and extra soda your tea will not be a beautiful pink color. I know we live in the USA and things are not always accessible, but for this one my friends you will not get the best results from anything else.
• Don't Add Too Much Tea - Adding in extra spoonfuls of tea leaves will not get you to the right shade of pink faster, but it will make your tea bitter! So stick to the proportions.
• Make Sure The Tea Leaves Are Fresh - If your tea leaves have been sitting around for a while (more than a month) it will be harder to get that pink color.
• Don't Add Too Much Baking Soda - A PINCH is all you need. Too much will make your brew taste bitter! While we're striving for that perfect color the taste is very important too! We don't want to be choking on our tea!!!

Which Kashmiri Chai leaves To Use

Here are my 2 favorite brands for the tea leaves. Both have been tried and tested by me and are easily available at Pakistani grocery stores across the Nation:

• Three Rivers Kashmiri Tea
• Eastern Vital Tea

You can also order the Three Rivers brand from amazon.com if your local store doesn't carry either of these brands.

The Process

There are 3 steps to making the tea:

• First - you must prepare the Kehwa or tea base.
• Next - you prepare the actual tea mixture. This is done by mixing the tea concentrate with milk, cardamom or any other whole spices of your choice and cooking them together.
• The final step - is to add in the salt, sugar and nuts or dry fruits as Pakistanis often like to call them.

Kashmiri Kahwa Recipe

• Add 1 teaspoon of tea leaves per cup of water to a saucepan or pot (if you're making a big batch)
• Bring to a boil and then cook on medium high heat till the liquid reduces to about half the quantity (usually 20 minutes is enough on my stove)
• Add in a small amount (just a pinch) of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and watch the chemical reaction take place! an acid-base reaction takes place and the chlorophyll in the tea reacts to the soda, resulting in a dark maroon color.
• Your brew will fizz for a minute or two and then you will see it turn slightly red as you continue to cook it over a medium flame for 10 more minutes
• After the 10 minutes are over, immediately remove the pot from the stove (I like to use my sink for this part)
• Add in a few cups of water and ice cubes (the amount will depend on the amount of your tea) to shock the tea and stop the cooking process. This stops the tea from cooking and getting darker.
• Use a ladle to pour the tea in and out of the pot from a height (called Phaita Lagana) till you see the brew change to a deep red color. It will have a deep pink hue when held up to the light.

Your brew is now ready and can be stored in the fridge for upto a week! This is what I do when I make my Kashmiri Chai {Pink Tea or Noon Chai}. Once the brew is prepared you can just follow the next steps to mix the tea and drink it when the mood strikes!

Final Pink Chai Mixture

Now you have your brew ready, you have to prepare it to drink it:

• Mix one part tea and one part full fat milk and place it on the stove to heat.
• Break open one or two cardamom pods and add them to the mixture.
• Bring the mix to a boil and then simmer for a few minutes before pouring in a cup to enjoy!

I've only ever made my tea with cardamom but there are many recipes out there that suggest the use of star anise, a cinnamon stick, rose syrup and saffron strands in the final mixture.

Similarly, some people swap out the milk for half and half for a richer taste and creamy flavor. I personally feel that less is more and like to stay close to my traditional method of making the tea. But please feel free to experiment if you wish and adapt this part of the tea making process till you get to your own ideal version!

That Perfect Cup of Noon Chai

Growing up, in my house, there was always salt in the Pink Tea. It was added to the tea at the stage above. Being a child I always added sugar to my cup regardless and still favor the salty and sweet combo!

If you think that's strange, next time just sprinkle a little sea salt in your cup and give it a try! I personally don't like nuts in my tea but for my husband that's the best part. I always have to have crushed pistachios and almonds ready for him to add in!

Try it your way and make it the Perfect cup of Kashmiri Tea!

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