Kashmiris are known to be tea drinkers. One thing every Kashmiri share, is their love for the tea. This love has traveled across the world, along with the migrations throughout the country’s tumultuous history for hundreds of years.
From the occasions of happiness, weddings and congregation’s tea is to be served. Tea is one of the rare things, that keeps Kashmiris social.
There are many forms of tea in Kashmir, mostly variants of Kahva and Nun chai. Despite the fact that English tea has been in the country for many years, it still is called as Lipton tea.

Origin:

Tea does not grow in Kashmir and Chinese being the exponents of tea, would export it across the Central Asian region. Kashmir, on the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia, was an important trade center.
It’s widely believed that Nun chai or Sheer Chai came to Kashmir from Yarkand in Turkestan. In Turkestan, Atkan chai is made with salt, milk and butter, quite similar to one made in Ladakh region, called the Gur-Gur chai. Like Nun chai, the origins of Kahva are also unclear. According to the Global tea history, it may also have its origins in the Turkic region of Turkestan, dating back to the first and second century of the Kushan Empire, in Yarkand.
Similar tea to Nun chai is the Qaymak chai, served in Afghanistan. It’s also the sweetened version of the Nun chai.

Method:

• Take a pan for making Tea
• Put ½ cup of water in it
• Add tea leaves and baking soda in a pan. Concentrate the tea by boiling on burner without cover until color of tea turns reddish brown.
• Add one more cup of water and boil again for 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add 2 cups of water again and boil for about 4-5 minutes.
• Add salt to taste
• Add milk, color of tea will turn pink. Boil the tea again for 1-minute un covered.
• Serve the tea hot and garnish with some malai (if available and desired).
• Add crushed almond and cardamom (optional).

Note: Correct measure of baking soda is the key for getting nice pink color of tea. Slightly more baking soda will turn tea dark and less soda will not turn tea pink.