This authentic Kashmiri Chai (Pink Tea or Noon Chai) recipe comes to you straight from my great-grandmother's kitchen. A delicious, creamy, pink-colored concoction, this is the perfect winter treat.
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Kashmiri Chai, also known as pink chai, noon chai, gulabi chai, and sheer chai, is a tea from the Kashmir valley. Specialty green tea leaves are used to prepare a dark maroon concentrate known as ‘kahwa’.
The concentrate is then mixed and simmered with milk, cardamom, and salt. 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 to prevent chapped lips.
As a result of Kashmiri migration to the region of Punjab, noon chai, which literally means salt tea, has gained widespread popularity and is often served at weddings and other social events during the cooler months of the year.
Of course, this popularized version is a far cry from the authentic salty version, as 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!
In my family, this tea is prepared the traditional way, with salt added. Of course, as a child, I would usually sneak in some sugar, and the result is that I drink my pink tea with both salt and sugar! Once you try it that way, there’s no going back!
For more Kashmiri recipes from my great-grandmother's kitchen, try my dal gosht (meat and lentil curry) and my gosht aloo bukhara (beef curry with plums).
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Unique flavor: This creamy, salty, and subtly sweet tea laced with aromatic cardamom is unlike any other tea you've tried. One sip will have you hooked!
- Beautiful presentation: The beautiful pink color of Kashmiri chai, paired with a garnish of vibrant green pistachios, makes for a beautiful display at any gathering or special occasion.
- Authentic recipe: This traditional recipe, straight from my Kashmiri great-grandmother's kitchen, is irrefutably the real deal.
- Perfect for winter entertaining: The rich, creamy texture and aromatic spices make this the perfect drink for serving to guests during fall and winter.
- Great for breakfast: Pair this with a traditional salty and flaky pastry known as bakarkhani, naan, paratha, or some nan khatai, for an indulgent start to your day.
Ingredient notes
- Kashmiri tea: Use loose-leaf Kashmiri green tea for authentic results. My two favorite brands to use are Three Rivers Kashmiri Tea or Eastern Vital Tea. Both are easily available at South Asian grocery stores and on Amazon.
- Baking soda: A pinch of this helps speed up the development of the signature Kashmiri chai pink color.
- Milk: Always use full-fat milk for the perfect creamy texture.
- Cardamom: Break open some fresh cardamom pods and add them to the tea to provide aroma.
- Salt: Authentic Kashmiri tea is always prepared with salt, and I highly recommend making it this way.
- Sugar: True Kashmiris don't add sugar to their Kashmiri chai, but I personally love my Kashmiri chai sweet and salty.
- Pistachios: A sprinkle of chopped pistachios adds flavor and color to the tea.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and recipe instructions.
Substitutions & variations
- Milk alternatives: Substitute the milk with half-and-half or evaporated milk for a richer, creamier Kashmiri chai.
- Spice variations: Add a pinch of saffron for luxury, or include star anise, cinnamon stick, and cloves for deeper warmth.
- Nut alternatives: Try almonds as an addition to, or substitute for, pistachios in your Kashmiri chai.
Video
Step-by-step instructions
- Step 1: Add your water and tea leaves to a pot and bring to a boil.
- Step 2: Reduce the heat to medium, and let the tea simmer for 20 minutes, until only 2 cups of water remain.
- Step 3: Add the baking soda and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Step 4: Turn the stove off, remove the pot, and then add the ice and water mix to the hot brew.
- Step 5: Fill a ladle with the tea, then pour it back into the pot from a height to agitate the liquid. Continue aerating the liquid in this manner until the brew visibly brightens and changes to a dark pinkish maroon.
- Step 6: Add milk to the 'kahwa', using a 1:1 ratio. Lightly crush the 2 cardamom pods using a mortar and pestle and add to the mixture. Bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes, and then serve your Kashmiri chai.
Expert Tips
- Use the right tea leaves: This is an absolute! To make authentic Kashmiri chai, you need to use Kashmiri tea leaves. Regular green tea leaves won't work.
- Don't add too many tea leaves: Adding extra tea leaves to get that perfect shade of pink will only result in bitter tea! Stick to the suggested measurements.
- Make sure to use fresh tea leaves: If your tea leaves have been sitting around for more than a few months, it will be harder to get that pink color.
- Don't add too much baking soda: Using too much baking soda will make your kahwa taste bitter. Don't add more to speed up the process.
- Make sure the soda is fresh: If you've had your baking soda for a while, it may not be as effective as a fresh box.
- Use the right amount of water: Too much water will make the tea weak, and too little won't allow for proper aeration. This recipe is pure chemistry, and you must adhere to the measurements provided for best results.
Recipe FAQS
The brew or 'kahwa' can be prepared in advance and stored for up to two weeks in an airtight container in the fridge. Add the milk and cardamom just before serving.
After about 15-20 minutes, the maroon colored brew changes color to a more pinkish hue. Pour a small amount into a cup and add some milk to it. If the tea is a mauve pink color, you can stop aerating the kahwa.
The green tea leaves used in Kashmiri Chai do have some caffeine, but the amount is far less than that in black tea.
Store the kahwa in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks maximum. However, the color fades the longer the brew sits in the fridge, so it's best to prepare the tea in small batches.
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Kashmiri Chai (Pink Tea or Noon Chai)
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Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 4 teaspoon Kashmiri tea leaves (see notes)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup ice and water mixture (see notes)
- 1 ½ cup milk
- 6 pods cardamom
- salt (as needed)
- sugar (as needed)
- pistachios (optional)
- almonds (optional)
Instructions
- Add the 4 cups of water and tea leaves to a pot and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium and let the tea simmer uncovered until you have a 2 cup reduction (approximately 20 minutes).
- Add the baking soda and cook for another 10 minutes after adding the soda. (see notes)
- Turn the stove off, remove the pot, and add the cold ice and water mix to the hot brew. (see notes)
- Start the aeration process by filling a ladle with the tea and pouring it back into the pot from a height. Agitate the liquid repeatedly until the color visibly brightens and changes to a dark pinkish maroon. (see notes)
- Mix this brew with the milk and the cardamom and bring to a boil. (see notes)
- Simmer for 5-10 minutes and then serve. (see notes)
Kristin
Hi, I do not see where it says what kind of tea to use - green tea? black tea?
untoldrecipesbynosheen
Hi Kristin,
Not sure where you are looking, but it's mentioned in the post. The tea leaves are a special type of green tea and there are 2 brands available in the USA at specialty stores. One of these, Three Rivers Kashmiri Tea, is also available at Amazon. I'll add the information in the recipe card as well for easier access.
Simi
What are your thoughts about adding the cardamom and any other spices after the baking soda (after step 3)? Thank you.
Nosheen Babar
They can be added after the baking soda. I add them later for a more aromatic chai. Prolonged cooking can reduce the aroma a little.
Humaira Nael
Best Kashmiri chai recipe ever! The best results I have seen so far with Eatern Vital Tea!!! Very easy to follow, step by step recipe! One just cannot go wrong!!! Thank you so much!
untoldrecipesbynosheen
Thank You so much Humaira! I'm glad it worked out for you and found the recipe easy to follow!
Renee
It worked and I love it! Thanks for the sink recommendation. Also threw on an apron!
untoldrecipesbynosheen
Yay! Yes the sink is a must and I'll add in an apron recommendation too! Glad you like it!
Renee
When is it best to filter the leaves from the tea? After agitating? Before?
untoldrecipesbynosheen
Hi Renee!
After agitating!