I am more of a coffee person but when it comes to experimenting, I am game for both tea and coffee based recipes.
So when I read about this Kashmiri tea recipe, I was intrigued! A pink colored tea!! It was so much in contrast to the regular brown colored tea that we normally have and I wanted to try it out and see if I would get the same pretty color.
Before I go on with my experiment, here are some trivia about this tea….
- As the name suggests, it is pink in color!
- Coloring agents are not used to get the pink color. The color is got by adding baking sodaandits reaction with the tea.
- It is also called nun chai/noon chai, Gulabi Chai, Sheer Chai,Salt tea
- This tea is usually served with Kashmiri bread / kashmiri kulcha.
- Salt is used instead of sugar!
When I read the recipe, I thought it would be a breeze to prepare! But I was wrong. The first time I made it, it turned out just like our regular tea.The second time, it was light brown but not pink. Then I read and reread many recipes and found that it all depends on the method of preparation and it surely come well from practise.
So finally, I made it very slowly and carefully and managed to achieve the pink color.About the taste..Well, we are so used to sugary teas and this one with salt sounded and tasted different. I guess it is an acquired taste….
Now to the recipe….
I used:
For a cup of tea..
Adapted from – My Tamarind Kitchen
Tea dust- 1/2 teaspoon[I use 3 roses tea]
Water- 1 cup
Milk-1/2 cup
Salt to taste[I used a large pink of rock salt]
Baking soda- 1/8 teaspoon
Cardamom seeds- from 1 pod
Finely chopped pistachio and almonds for garnish- about -1 tablespoon
Heat 1/2 cup of water in a pan with tea dust. When it comes to a rolling boil, add the baking soda. The mixture will froth up.
Whisk well for a couple of seconds and add the remaining water and simmer. After a minute, add the cardamom seeds
Now comes the tricky part!! Slowly add the milk and keep whisking at the same time to make a frothy mixture.The color of the tea will change from deep brown to pink. Add milk to get the right shade.Finally add salt and give it a whisk and remove from heat.Strain the tea and pour into a cup and serve hot garnished with chopped nuts…
I served this pretty pink tea with Rice Bonda
Take a look at all that was served so far on The Buffet On Table…
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 56
Bon Appetit…
That's a pretty cup of tea there … I knew somewhere there was salt being used but the baking soda twist is interesting
Pink tea is intriguing. Since you had to redo it a few times to get the required color, now you cannot say it is a simple recipe. 😊
wow that is super flavorful… should have tasted awesome..
Pink tea looks beautiful.Very unique though.
You have done a good research on this. Looks great but as you said it would be an acquired taste as salt is involved.
Pink tea is new and interesting ! Lovely pretty pink ! I must say you are brave enough to try such a beverage . Kudos!
salt and baking soda? Thats completely new to me in a tea.. great. Lot to learn huh?
wow what an out of the ordinary tea – probably wouldn't like the salted version but so interesting to learn of this Kashmiri specialty
Wow, this tea sounds totally new to me, adding salt in tea is truly very different from our usual tea..
Interesting Tea recipe and totally new to me. Adding salt , would love to taste it.
Wow PJ trust u to try something that looks simple but is not. Awesome
That is one very interesting and unique tea. Good find PJ.
Pretty cup n pretty pink pj!! Well salted tea, as u said acquired taste, but might as well give it a shot for that pretty color!