Kashmiri Pink Tea
Kashmiri pink tea is a milk tea made by preparing a tea concentrate and then mixing it with milk. Its name is also associated with salty noon chai, while sweet versions are served in Pakistan. Recipes therefore vary in their use of sweetener, salt and spices.
Start with one recipe and its stated quantities, and check the concentrate before adding milk. Changing the tea, quantities and spices together makes it harder to understand why the result differs.
Ingredients for about six cups
This home recipe is based on Maryam Jillani's recipe published by SBS Food. The final quantity depends on evaporation and serving size.
Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
Loose Kashmiri tea leaves | 20 g |
Ice cold water | 960 ml in two equal portions |
Full fat milk | 960 ml |
Green cardamom pods lightly cracked | 4 |
Food grade baking soda | One quarter of a measuring teaspoon |
Salt | Up to one quarter teaspoon to taste |
Sugar and crushed pistachios | To taste when serving |
Preparation
- Heat 480 ml water, then add the tea, cardamom and salt. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by roughly half.
- Add the baking soda. Carefully ladle the liquid up and pour it back into the pan for about 3 minutes to aerate it.
- Add the remaining cold water. Continue cooking for about 15 minutes, aerating intermittently, until the concentrate is burgundy. Strain it.
- Gently heat the strained concentrate with the milk. Sweeten to taste and serve with pistachios if desired.
When the colour varies
Different tea leaves respond differently to this method. The author of Tea for Turmeric explains that some teas produce a more pronounced colour than others. Test a little concentrate with milk in a cup before finishing the whole batch.
If the result is brown, review the leaves and the concentrate stage. Avoid adding baking soda at random in pursuit of colour, as it can affect the taste. Baking soda and baking powder are different ingredients.
Choosing the tea and serving tools
Start with leaves intended for Kashmiri tea when available. If you use another tea, test a small batch first. The words green tea alone do not predict its final colour. You can browse green tea and read each product's details before experimenting.
A strainer helps separate the concentrate, and measuring cups help keep the water and milk consistent. Clear cups display the colour when serving. Choose tea tools that suit the quantity you normally prepare.
