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20-Minute Kashmiri Chai Recipe (Pink Tea)

20-Minute Kashmiri Chai Recipe (Pink Tea)

A quick and easy 20-Minute Kashmiri Chai recipe (Pink Tea) that delivers delightful flavor and beautiful color.
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Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course beverage
Cuisine Kashmiri
Servings 2 cups
Calories 187 kcal

Equipment

  • medium saucepan
  • strainer

Ingredients
  

For Ice Water

  • 1 cup room temperature water
  • 2-3 large ice cubes

For Kashmiri Chai

  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoon Kashmiri chai leaves or sub any non-bitter green tea leaves
  • 2 whole star anise *badiyan*
  • 6-8 pods green cardamom
  • 2 whole cloves *loung*, optional
  • 1 cinnamon stick *optional*
  • ⅛ teaspoon baking soda heaped
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ½ cup half and half See Note 1
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt may need less if using sea salt, or to taste
  • 2-2.5 tablespoon sweetener of choice I've tried cane sugar, brown sugar, and date syrup

For Serving (Optional)

  • ½-1 tablespoon raw almonds crushed using mortar and pestle
  • ½ tablespoon unsalted pistachios crushed using mortar and pestle

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Prepare ice water: Combine room temperature water with 2-3 large ice cubes and set aside.
  • Heat a medium saucepan over high heat. Add water, Kashmiri chai leaves, star anise, green cardamom pods, cloves and cinnamon (if using) and bring to a boil.
  • Once it comes to a boil, add the baking soda. It’ll fizz a little. Allow this mixture to boil over high heat for 5-6 minutes. Occasionally, use a ladle to aerate (scoop and pour back) the tea. You’ll notice the froth in the water go from pale green to a deep pink color. If not, add another ⅛ teaspoon of baking soda.
  • Add the prepared ice water (discard the ice cubes to prevent diluting). If you’d like, you can aerate several times to deepen the color. Add the milk, half & half, salt, and sweetener. Allow it to a come to a light boil, then immediately turn off the heat.
  • Strain the tea into cups and add crushed almonds and pistachios, as desired.

Notes

Use different green tea leaves if the tea doesn't turn pink after adding more baking soda.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 187kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 7gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 387mgPotassium: 324mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 412IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 231mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Easy Drink, Kashmiri Chai, Pink Tea, Quick Recipe, Tea, Traditional Tea
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