Winter wedding tea · Pink
Kashmiri Chai Recipe (Pink Noon Chai)
Kashmiri tea leaves. Pinch of soda. Aerate with cold water.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenKashmiri chai is the famous pink tea of Pakistani winters and weddings. Most home attempts come out brown instead of pink. The fix is Kashmiri green tea leaves, a pinch of baking soda, boiling until reduced, then aerating with ice water and pouring repeatedly until the concentrate turns deep red before adding milk.
The 3 laws of kashmiri chai
Why this recipe works
Black tea
Only these turn pink.
None
Triggers the colour.
Just boil
Deep red concentrate.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Chai
The NineFoods pink chai gauge
Is the concentrate ready?
Look at the colour.
Method · 3 stages
Step by step
Concentrate
- Boil leaves, spices, soda and water until reduced to a cup.
- Add ice water and pour from a height repeatedly. Use the gauge above.
Milk
- Add milk, salt and sugar; simmer until pink.
Serve
- Top with nuts and serve.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Black tea or no aerating.
Fix next time
Kashmiri leaves; aerate.
Why
Too little soda.
Fix next time
A small pinch more.
Why
Too much soda.
Fix next time
Use only a pinch.
Why
Low fat milk.
Fix next time
Full fat milk.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Kashmiri tea leaves | Colour | No substitute |
| Baking soda | Colour | No substitute |
| Full fat milk | Body | Add cream |
| Pistachios | Topping | Almonds |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Bakarkhani, nan khatai or rusks.
Store
Concentrate fridge 1 week.
Reheat
Simmer concentrate with milk.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 4 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 3 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is the concentrate ready) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Kashmiri Chai FAQ
Why is my Kashmiri chai not pink?
Wrong tea leaves, no soda or not enough aeration.
Why add salt?
Traditional noon chai is slightly salty; Pakistani style adds sugar.
Can I make concentrate ahead?
Yes, keep it a week in the fridge.
What tea leaves are used?
Kashmiri green tea leaves.