Experience with Kashmiri Kahwa Tea

Kashmir or better known as “The last Shangrila” is one of the most beautiful places that have walked the face of our mother earth. Residing in the upper most region of India, this ethereal cold desert is no less than heaven. It astonishing beauty, culture and people are the most attractive features of the region. For me, visiting Kashmir was a memorable experience and you will agree to the same once you visit there.

I am a big fan of natural beauty, and being a “naturalist” is more fun than you can ever expect as you get to visit places and experience the culture of the place. When I was in Kashmir last year, I tried to my best to immerse myself in the Kashmiri culture. I met people out there, ate with them, wore kashmiri traditional dress and much more. It was a lot of fun!!!

I sipped the world famous “Kashmiri Kahwa Tea” for the first time during the trip. The experience was mind blowing!!! I never drank anything like that before. The tea was as attractive as the valley, and every sip of it combined the cultural element of Kashmir in it. You will always crave for this tea the moment have a sip of it. During my travel to Kashmir I drank almost 5-6 cups of Kahwa chai everyday.

I still can’t forget those mesmerizing moments in Kashmir, the white snow, the spectacular and beautiful valley, the amazing people, their culture and off-course the exotic Kahwa chai. Sometimes, when I make my own kahwa chai at home, I drizzle back into the same exotic beauty of Kashmir. I wish I could have the same experience in my everyday life.

Those who have visited Kashmir must have consumed kahwa chai at-least once and I assume them to be a big of fan of the chai. Let us know a bit more about the kashmiri kahwa chai, especially for the non-experienced (by this I mean those who have not had a cup of Kashmiri Kahwa).

The word Kahwah originated from the Arabic word “qahwah” which means an aromatic beverage (some refer it to as coffee also), which dates back the origin of Kahwa Tea to the times immemorial and it has been an integral part of their daily consumption for ages. It is consumed largely in northern Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kashmir Valley and some areas of Central Asia. This drink is of Persian origin by nature, and is known as the breakfast tea in the Kashmiri valley. It is usually accompanied with some special bakery items.

Kahwa Chai is easy to make but to make a perfect one you need some experience. Now after years of making Kahwa at home, I too have become kind of expert in making Kahwa tea. I learnt it from a local Kashmiri lady during my trip to Kashmir. She was very kind enough to explain me through the entire process of making Kahwa tea and I still thank her because she was very patient to my curious questioning nature.

Before we being to prepare this exotic beverage, let us know more about this cultural delicacy a bit more.

“Kahwa is an exotic chai with a mix of Kashmiri green tea leaves, whole spices, nuts and saffron. There are distinct types of Kahwa tea depending on the combination of ingredients used but an ideal Kashmiri Kahwa tea contains saffron, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves along with one or two dried fruits such as cherries, apples, raisins, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts, almonds, cashew nuts, dried apricots or dates.”

The original Kashmiri Kahwa is prepared in a traditional manner in a brass kettle known as “Samavar and is basically prepared by keeping burning coals and it is served in shallow, tiny cups – called ‘Khosas’. Since, we will not have such facilities in our home, we can use a normal vessel in order to prepare the chai (You know I am so crazy about this chai that I bought both Samavar and Khosas from Kashmir!!!).

You don’t have to complicate your kahwa chai preparation and hence you can ignore this vessel thing and all. It is quick and easy to make and takes just a few minutes to prepare the drink. Organize all the ingredients first because the timely addition of these is very important while preparing the Kahwa chai.

I am summoning up the original Kashmiri kahwa chai recipe for you below…enjoy it!!!

Ingredients required

1. Water (3-4 cups minimum)

2. Saffron (I usually prefer the Iranian ones. It is difficult to get one in India but you can try online. Although it would be a bit costly on your wallet but trust me it is worth it!!! I usually use 5-6 strands as the Iranian saffron is very strong. If you are using the regular ones you can approximately 10-12 strands)

3. Almonds (Again it depends on our preference. You can use the regular one but I prefer the organic version of almonds as it tastes better ), Cinnamon (long ones), Green cardamoms, Sugar, Honey and last but not the least, Kashmiri green tea( It would taste better if you use the Kashmiri green tea, but if that is not an option you can go for the regular tea).

Preparation Method

Boil the water in the kettle; add cinnamon, crushed green cardamom and saffron strands to the boiling water. Let them boil for some time. Add tea leaves .Grate the almonds and add the grated almonds into the boiling water. Brew the tea for some time and add sugar or honey as per requirement. Keep stirring with the help of spoon after every few seconds. Pour in a cup and consume it.

You know what if you not willing to go through this entire process, I am going to give you a solution to this. Just purchase readymade Kashmiri Kahwa Chai from teafloor. I purchase it regularly and it really tastes awesome!!! In fact better than the one we make at home because all the ingredients are fresh, natural and are in regular proportions.

Try it out today only!!!

Spicing up the Kahwa Tea…

You can also spice up the Kashmiri Kahwa chai. I will tell you how you can do it and experimenting with Kahwa chai can really be exciting. I basically consume the Kahwa tea without sugar because it helps me during the times of dieting. It helps me lose body fat at a faster rate as compared to other tea. This is probably due to the presence of green tea and the spices which are present in the kahwa tea.

At first, I use to consume the regular kahwa tea but when I did a bit of research, I found that you can make various other types of Kahwa chai too. Like the Kashimiri sometimes add thins slices of green apple or crushed walnuts with almonds. The basic method of making the kahwa remains the same.

I also prefer to add dried apricots (this one tastes awesome!!! Try it), dates (specially the Persian version, as you get a really good flavor than the regular dates) and sometimes dried cherries. I make this according to my mood and Kahwa chai is a real mood lifter.

Health Benefits of Kashmiri Kahwa Chai

Soon after my trip to Kashmir, I started to consume Kahwa chai and introduced it family and friends. I am proud to say that 100% of the people to whom I introduced the tea are now “Kashmiri chai lovers.” They regularly consume this chai and have had tremendous health benefits from the same.

Good source of Vitamins B2!!!

Kashmiri Kahwa chai is a very healthy drink, and you don’t have to be a nutritionist to understand this as any layman can observe the ingredients and come to conclusion. It has saffron which is a rich source of Vitamin B2 which is very helpful in energy production, production of red blood cells, strengthening immune system and keeping eyes and skin healthy. I stay healthy and keep my immune system strong by just adding a cup of Kahwa to my daily routine.

You can lose those extra calories with Kahwa chai!!!

Those who want to diet to lose fat, this chai is the best. I have lost weight while I was on diet using this tea. Since, Kahwa is a green tea by nature and we all know that it has fat burning properties associated with it. With regular exercise, diet and two to three cups of Kahwa chai, you can lose weight fast. Remember to drink Kahwa chai without sugar or any sweetener.

You know Kahwa chai is a stress buster too!!!

You can immediately note the difference once you consume it. It relieves stress from the body and mind by relaxing the muscles and the nervous system. Most important thing is that Kahwa is free of caffeine. Therefore, you can consume it as much as you want and you won’t the coffee jitteriness which happens with other caffeinated drinks.

A complete energy booster!!!

This is a real deal. Whenever I feel low, I just consume a cup of Kahwa chai. Kahwa tea is not only a great way to kick start the day but also helps to instantly recharge you whenever you feel tired or lethargic. It is the perfect beverage to relieve headaches cheer you up and to make you feel more active. It also energizes and has warming effect. It’s particularly advantageous to drink Kashmiri Kahwa in cold winter night.

There are more health benefits associated with kahwa chai which you can experience once you start consuming it. So, uplift yourself with this wonderful kashmiri delicacy and share it with your family and friends. Enjoy.

You can buy it now by going to https://teafloor.com/kashmiri-kahwa-chai