Kashmiri Chai is a traditional drink with delicious flavor and with a nice pink color. The pink color is not artificial. It comes out with the result of chlorophyll in tea reacting with bicarbonate of soda that’s added to boiling tea leaves.
Sometimes it can be that the pink color may not turn out pink as you see in pictures.
Here is the recipe!!!!
Kashmiri Chai
- Start by adding cold water to the pan. The water has to be cold from the refrigerator.
- Then add the Kashmiri tea leaves and star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and green cardamom for flavor.
- After one boil comes, add baking soda (NOT baking powder). The reaction of baking soda with the tea leaves will start turning the mixture pink.
- Then on medium-low heat boil the mixture till it is reduced to 2 cups. Just roughly get an eye measurement of the quantity.
- Add ice-cold water (water from the fridge with ice cubes in it) which should altogether be 2 cups. Pour this water from a height. But be cautious as the water in the pan is hot and you might get splashed.
- Then take a ladle or a cup and start aerating the tea. From a height pour the liquid back and forth for around 10 minutes. Tedious but worth it!
- You will start noticing some dark red bubbles on the surface of the tea. Turn off the heat and strain. You are left with a dark red kehwa (tea).
- Then to prepare the Kashmiri Chai to bring milk to a boil in another saucepan. Add sugar and pour in your Kashmiri kehwa you just prepared. Keep in mind the more kehwa you add the pinker your tea will get but it will also get stronger. So taste it and find your right balance.
- Bring this milk and tea mixture to a boil and then turn off the heat and cover for 2-3 mins.
- Pour in your mugs, garnish with finely sliced pistachios and almonds.
