Recipe Of the Day: Kashmiri Chai (Pink Tea)

Kashmiri Chai also known as Pink tea is very famous in Pakistan. Especially in winters. Kashmiri Chai is also prepared by using green tea leaves with a required quantity of milk. It is usually served with coconut, crushed Almonds and Pistachios.

Personally I have tried both recipes below with and without leaves.


Ofcourse the one without leaves is not really tea but it tastes kinda same.

You can say it is simply sweetened milk which we get in bottles in Pakistan at most milkshops. Just add a little pink colour and rose essence in it and it smells and tastes like Kashmiri Chai too.

It is a small cheat when you dont want to add tea leaves or you dont have them at home and I just love easy, shortcut recipes ;) Will share both recipes here.

Kashmiri Chai (with leaves):

Ingredients:

6 tsp. green tea leaves
15-20 seeds of green cardamom plus 1-2 tsp. ground cardamom
1-2 tsp. bicarbonate soda (meetha soda)
1 litre full fat milk
Crushed pistachio/almonds
6 cups water
Sugar and salt to taste.

How to Make:

Pour water in a large pan. Add tea leaves,salt, seeds of green cardamom and soda.

Bring to boil reduce heat and simmer until it reduces to 1/2 of its quantity.

While it is still boiling pour in it about 2-3 cups of cold water.

Beat and bring to boil and simmer for 4-5 minutes.

Remove from heat, strain and keep aside.

Boil the milk with ground cardamom over low heat.

Pour prepared tea water (Qahwa) in the milk.

Bring to boil, add salt and simmer for 3-5 minutes over low heat.

Remove from heat and pour into cups.

Pour 1 tablespoon of cream or malai.

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of pistachio/almonds over it.


Now the next one is "MY" recipe for sweetened milk. (which tastes more or less like Kashmiri Chai especially for us 'Pardesis' who yearn for it)

You need: (you can make it according to your need and adjust ingredients accordingly)

1 litre milk (full fat)
1 can evaporated milk ( I used Almarai Gold-thick)
1/2 to 1 can condensed milk (no need to add sugar but add if needed)
5-10 cardomoms
2 tsp coconut (dessicated)
2 pinch saffron
1-2 drops of Rose essence
A drop of pink color in each cup.
Almonds and Pistachios (crushed) also for garnish.


How to Make:

Boil milk, add evaporated milk, cardomoms and simmer till almost half is left in the pan.

Add condensed milk. Stir & simmer for few more minutes.

Add saffron, coconut, almonds and pistachio.

Cook for 5-10 minutes more. Milk will be yellowish in color.

Milk should be stirred to make it frothy.

Add rose essence. Pour in cups and add just a drop of pink food color in each cup (some people add roohafza but I don't like that)

Garnish with Malai (cream-if you like) and nuts.

Enjoy! :)

Kashmiri Chai also known as Pink tea is very famous in Pakistan. Especially in winters. Kashmiri Chai is also prepared by using green tea leaves with a required quantity of milk. It is usually served with coconut, crushed Almonds and Pistachios.

Personally I have tried both recipes below with and without leaves.


Ofcourse the one without leaves is not really tea but it tastes kinda same.

You can say it is simply sweetened milk which we get in bottles in Pakistan at most milkshops. Just add a little pink colour and rose essence in it and it smells and tastes like Kashmiri Chai too.

It is a small cheat when you dont want to add tea leaves or you dont have them at home and I just love easy, shortcut recipes ;) Will share both recipes here.

Kashmiri Chai (with leaves):

Ingredients:

6 tsp. green tea leaves
15-20 seeds of green cardamom plus 1-2 tsp. ground cardamom
1-2 tsp. bicarbonate soda (meetha soda)
1 litre full fat milk
Crushed pistachio/almonds
6 cups water
Sugar and salt to taste.

How to Make:

Pour water in a large pan. Add tea leaves,salt, seeds of green cardamom and soda.

Bring to boil reduce heat and simmer until it reduces to 1/2 of its quantity.

While it is still boiling pour in it about 2-3 cups of cold water.

Beat and bring to boil and simmer for 4-5 minutes.

Remove from heat, strain and keep aside.

Boil the milk with ground cardamom over low heat.

Pour prepared tea water (Qahwa) in the milk.

Bring to boil, add salt and simmer for 3-5 minutes over low heat.

Remove from heat and pour into cups.

Pour 1 tablespoon of cream or malai.

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of pistachio/almonds over it.


Now the next one is "MY" recipe for sweetened milk. (which tastes more or less like Kashmiri Chai especially for us 'Pardesis' who yearn for it)

You need: (you can make it according to your need and adjust ingredients accordingly)

1 litre milk (full fat)
1 can evaporated milk ( I used Almarai Gold-thick)
1/2 to 1 can condensed milk (no need to add sugar but add if needed)
5-10 cardomoms
2 tsp coconut (dessicated)
2 pinch saffron
1-2 drops of Rose essence
A drop of pink color in each cup.
Almonds and Pistachios (crushed) also for garnish.


How to Make:

Boil milk, add evaporated milk, cardomoms and simmer till almost half is left in the pan.

Add condensed milk. Stir & simmer for few more minutes.

Add saffron, coconut, almonds and pistachio.

Cook for 5-10 minutes more. Milk will be yellowish in color.

Milk should be stirred to make it frothy.

Add rose essence. Pour in cups and add just a drop of pink food color in each cup (some people add roohafza but I don't like that)

Garnish with Malai (cream-if you like) and nuts.

Enjoy! :)