Best Kashmiri Food - The India Explorer

Kashmir is a beautiful snow-covered land often called Paradise on Earth. The beauty of Kashmir is indescribable, and the peace one finds here is unmatchable. The land of Kashmir offers guests and locals a fulfilling life and many rich delicacies to soothe the palette. One such delicacy is the Kahwa tea. It is a rich and flavourful tea with many health benefits to its credit. The cold weather of Kashmir perfectly matches with a warm cup of Kahwa tea that you must have at least once in your life. This amazing variant of tea never leaves your heart and soul – it makes you want more of the rich flavour and warmth, especially in winter. If you crave that taste and have wondered, “How to make kahwa tea at home?” fret not – this is the perfect blog for you! In today’s blog, we’ll explore this regal tea and give you two ways to make the Kahwa Kashmiri tea recipe. Not only that, we have also listed the health benefits and the possible side effects of Kahwa tea. Scroll to find out! The Kahwa Kashmiri Tea Recipe: Make the Perfect Cup of Authentic Kahwa Tea Kahwa tea does not use dairy products like milk, cheese, khoya, or butter like other Indian teas. It is a green tea with a woody, nutty and spicy flavour that soothes your soul and tastes heavenly. It is rich in flavour and warmth and is extremely healthy, especially in winter. Before diving into the kahwa Kashmiri tea recipe, let’s look at the ingredients first! Kahwa Tea Ingredients: image source: whiskaffair You will need 4 major spices, namely cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and saffron. Other ingredients include sliced almonds, honey/sugar, water (of course!), dried rose petals, and the obvious green tea leaves. Let’s take a better look at them. Cardamom: Cardamom or ‘elaichi’ is a flavourful and highly aromatic spice added to the Kahwa tea to give it a sweet flavour and aroma. It adds to the fresh zeal of the tea when crushed. It helps lower blood pressure and is useful in the treatment of bronchitis. Cinnamon: Cinnamon is a spice that is added crushed to the kahwa Kashmiri tea recipe. It has anti-bacterial properties and provides a spicy flavour to the kahwa tea. Cloves: Cloves or ‘laung’ are optional when it comes to kahwa tea. Many households in Kashmir add cloves, while many don’t. The choice is yours – if you want to add them or not. They add more warmth. Saffron: Saffron or ‘kesar’ is an important spice of Kashmir as it is the land where saffron grows. Saffron has a fairly sweet flavour. To put it simply, saffron infuses a teacup with the beautiful scent of Kashmir. It is enticing, delicious, and really unique. This precious spice also gives kahwa tea its golden tint. Although it is an optional ingredient, if you do have it on hand, you should add it to the tea to make it more flavourful and aromatic. Almonds: Almonds are an integral part of the kahwa Kashmiri tea recipe. They increase the tea’s nutritional value and add a crunchiness and nutty flavour. Green Tea Leaves: Green tea leaves are important for the kahwa tea. They are the heart and soul of the tea, and it is incomplete without them. Choose the right leaves for a flavourful and detoxifying treat. Rose Petals: Rose petals are another optional ingredient here that adds flavour and aroma to the already rich kahwa tea. They also provide a natural glow to the skin. Honey/Sugar: Although the traditional kahwa Kashmiri tea recipe uses sugar, many households in Kashmir have started switching to healthier sweeteners like honey. Instead of honey or sugar, you can use any sweetener like jaggery, maple syrup, and the like. Allergen Information: Contains nuts (almonds) How to Make Kahwa Tea at Home? Main Ingredients: 2.5 cups water 2 teaspoons green tea leaves ½ inch cinnamon – crushed 1 clove Pinch of saffron 2 green cardamoms – lightly crushed ½ teaspoon dried rose petals 2 teaspoon almonds – thinly sliced or crushed Honey/sugar as per taste Kashmiri Tea Recipe in 2 Simple Ways Method 1: The Traditional Kahwa Kashmiri Tea Recipe Boil water in a pan. Once boiled, add cinnamon, clove, cardamom, saffron, and dried rose petals. You can add sugar as well. Let it boil for a few minutes. Add green tea leaves. Let it boil for about 3 minutes. Keep stirring for a richer taste. Switch off the flame. Add the almonds to cups and strain the tea over them. Add honey for a sweeter taste (optional) Add one or two strands of saffron for garnish and viola; the tea is ready! Method 2: Kahwa Kashmiri Tea Recipe Using a Tea Infuser If you have a steel tea infuser or a tea infusing kettle, you can easily make the kahwa tea. Add cinnamon, clove, cardamoms, saffron and dried rose petals to the infuser. You can also add some almonds here. Boil water. Put the infuser in a cup and pour boiling water over it. Let the tea steep for a few minutes as you cover the cup with any lid. Once infused, add almonds, honey/sugar and a pinch of saffron for garnish! Kashmiri Kahwa Tea Benefits The kahwa tea has many health benefits. This drink is a gift from Kashmir we should all embrace. Improves Digestion: The benefits of Kahwa tea on digestion and metabolism are widely recognised. Drinking it on a regular basis ensures that the digestive system operates smoothly. Cold, wintry winter weather necessitates eating hearty meals to generate enough body heat. Reduces Stress: This tea helps a lot with anxiety reduction. It can also treat insomnia and reduce stress to help you sleep well at night. This is because of this amazing green tea's potent antioxidants and restorative scent. It is also known that kahwa tea increases the synthesis of feel-good brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine. These chemicals are automatically released in the brain to decrease stress and increase happiness and serenity. Helps Alleviate Common Cold Symptoms: Colds and persistent coughs frequently prevent us from enjoying our days to the fullest. In times like these, Kashmiri Kahwa is a lifesaver—it's full of taste and antioxidants, and each sip helps you get healthier. Pour yourself a steaming, aromatic cup, and discover that the delicious combination was created to restore your health. Helps Skin Glow: The fear associated with acne and ageing skin is genuine. This long-standing issue has a tasty remedy in kahwa tea! This mix gives you skin that is radiant and healthy with each drink. The antioxidants in tea assist in relieving the regions of the skin damaged by acne and moisturising the skin. It's the greatest solution available to guarantee a natural glow. Improves Cardiovascular Health:There is seldom time for lengthy resting sessions and maintaining good health in the hustle-obsessed modern society. Nonetheless, a steaming cup of tea is always welcome. It makes your heart happy and healthy by lowering blood pressure and regulating cholesterol. Immunity Booster: This tea has a good reputation for strengthening immunity and warding off illnesses. This is mostly due to some precious and rare components that are in this tea. Saffron is high in Vitamin B12. This vitamin works wonders to protect against frequent wintertime illnesses. Strong antioxidants also provide exceptional protection and treat illnesses, including the flu, colds, and coughs. Possible Side Effects of Kahwa Tea Warmth: Kashmiri Kahwa is not meant to be consumed in the summer due to its heated character. In the winter, it could be quite helpful in keeping the body warm, but in the summer, it might be just as uncomfortable. Calorie Intake: The calorie count of Kashmiri Kahwa tea is considerable. Its calorie count of 169 is significantly greater than that of other green teas. 85 are derived from fats, 71 from carbs, and 13 from proteins. Contains Sugar: Kashmiri Kahwa is a green tea that has added sugar, unlike most others. Sugar is a complex carbohydrate that has no nutritional value but a high-calorie content. Consuming too much causes your blood sugar to rise and your body to burn less fat. The high sugar level in this tea might exacerbate heart disease symptoms for those who are already recuperating from cardiac conditions, even though it is known to lower blood cholesterol. Moderate Level of Caffeine: Kahwa tea from Kashmir has a mild caffeine level. Undoubtedly, it is more than most other green teas. For those who have severe anxiety due to migraines, it might not be advised. In these situations, consuming Kahwa tea might make their condition worse. Conclusion Use our kahwa Kashmiri tea recipe to make an amazing cup of piping hot kahwa tea for yourself this winter. This nutritious drink is calling you to try it – and if you get a chance to have it in Kashmir, do not miss out on the chance!