"I encountered this special beverage few years ago when I visited Kashmir with my husband and other family members. We tried this tea at a local cafe in Gulmarg and instantly fell in love with it. Typically, this tea is enjoyed with sweet breads, famously known as lavasa, bakarkhani kulcha and sheermaal. It is traditionally made from special tea leaves, milk, salt, and usually cooked in a samavar. A pinch of baking soda gives it a pronounced pink color. Here I have given this tea my own usual twist, so make sure to try it out."
Kashmiri Pink Noon Tea
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- Recipe Card
Prep time 5mins
Cook time 15mins
Serves or Makes: 4
Recipe Card
ingredients
- 4 cups Water
- 1/12 cups Milk
- 2 pieces Raspberry Tea Bag
- 2 teaspoons Honey
- 3 clove Cardamom
- 1 stick Cinnamon
- 2 pieces Star Anise
- 5 leaves Saffron
- 1 teaspoons Baking soda
- 1 teaspoons Salt
- To Taste Slivered Almonds
- To Taste Pistachios
Method
Step 1
Boil water and add raspberry flavored tea leaves from tea bags.
Step 2
Crush star anise and cardamom pods using mortar and pestle. Then add to the hot brewing tea. Also add a pinch of cinnamon powder. (Note: You can add spices more or less as per your liking. I like cardamom flavor so I tend to add more of that.)
Step 3
Once the spices and tea leaves has released all the it's aroma, add baking soda and give a stir using a ladle. At this stage, keep stirring the tea in up and down pouring pattern for good 10-15 minutes. (Note: If using regular tea leaves, then keep stirring until you start to see very light pink color. Since I have used raspberry tea leaves, my tea already has pink shade. This is a good option if you want to make your tea decaffeinated.) Add salt and again give a quick stir.
Step 4
Once the tea is fully brewed with all the ingredients, strain the brewed mixture and transfer the strained mixture back into the saucepan. Set the heat on low to medium setting this time.
Step 5
Now add honey or choice of sweetener and give a thorough mix. Then pour in milk and let it boil for few more minutes. (Note: Make sure to add milk after adding sweetener only. Since raspberry tea leaves have some acidic elements, it can curdle the milk. So make sure to balance the acidity with sweetener first. However, if using regular tea leaves then you can add sweetener after milk.) Once the tea is ready, garnish the tea with peeled almonds and pistachios while serving.