Go Back Email Link
+ servings
Kashmiri Chai {Pink Tea or Noon Chai}
Print Recipe
4.80 from 5 votes

Kashmiri Chai {Pink Tea or Noon Chai}

Kashmiri Chai {Pink Tea or Noon Chai} is made from special green tea leaves, infused with cardamom and traditionally flavored with salt
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Aeration Process (Phaintna)15 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Pakistani
Keyword: Gulabi Chai, Kashmiri Tea, Noon Chai, Pink Tea, Sheer Chai
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 64kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 cups Water
  • 4 tsp Tea Leaves
  • ¼ tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 cup Ice and Water Mixture
  • 1 ½ cup Milk
  • 6 Pods Cardamom
  • Salt as desired
  • Sugar as desired
  • pistachios (OPTIONAL)
  • almonds (OPTIONAL)

Instructions

  • Put water in a saucepan and add the tea leaves.
  • Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and let the tea simmer for about 20 minutes till about 2 cups of water remains.
  • Add the baking soda and you will see the liquid begin to fizz (this will settle down in a few seconds) cook for another 10 minutes after adding the soda and you should see the color of the brew change slightly.
  • Turn the stove off and remove the pot (I like to place it in the sink so it's easier to clean up the pink splashes) and add the cold ice and water mix to the hot brew.
  • Fill a ladle with the tea and pour it back into the pot from a height, agitating the liquid, and do this repetitively till the color visibly brightens and changes to a dark pinkish maroon.
  • Mix this brew with milk (the ratio I like is 1 part tea brew to 1 part milk) and crushed cardamoms (2 cardamom per cup- both the pods and the seeds) and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes and then serve with salt, sugar and if desired, chopped almonds and pistachios.

Video

Notes

  • The brew can be prepared and stored in the fridge for up to a week and I often make a large batch and store it.
  • I pour as much as is needed at the time of serving into a saucepan and add the milk and cardamom accordingly, following a ration of 1:1, two parts brew and 1 part milk along with 2 pods of cardamom per cup.
  • This is my preferred way of drinking my Gulabi (Pink) Chai (Tea) but if you like it less creamy then feel free to use less milk. A little experimentation will lead you to find the perfect consistency and taste for your 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 64kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 119mg | Potassium: 173mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 148IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 0.4mg