PINK TEA is yet another love recipe from my cookbook which would be a surprising, delightful love beverage for the loved ones that would be very inviting with a gorgeous Pink Colour. The taste of the Pink tea, unlike usual tea, would stand distinct with loads of creaminess holding a unique flavour.

Noon Chai could be known by other names like Shir chai (milk tea), Gulabi Chai (pink tea) and Kashmir Chai which originates from the beautiful Kashmir valley of the Indian subcontinent. Noon means 'salt' and Noon Chai represents 'Salt Tea' since we use salt and sodium bicarbonate in this recipe.

Kashmiris consume this pink tea after breakfast and supper as the tea is believed to cure digestive problems. Some people also believe that PINK TEA helps to cure headache and stomach ache. Though no statistics could be seen to prove this, I'm sure, this PINK TEA would keep you warm in the winters and make any special occasion even more special with the uniquely rich taste.

Pink Tea is usually brewed with special Kashmir green tea leaves which are strong in flavour which when reacts with the Sodium bicarbonate would pronounce the pink colour. Here, the pink colour is achieved naturally because of the beautiful reaction happening between green tea leaves and Baking soda. Don't have Kashmir tea leaves? No worries. The normal green tea leaves like Tetley Green tea leaves would do the same PINK MAGIC to the Kashmir tea.

What's the magic behind PINK TEA?

• The chlorophyll present in the green tea leaves when reacts with Sodium bicarbonate makes the water turns deep pink in colour. When milk is mixed with the deep pink decoction, the end-product is our Gorgeous Pink Tea.

Looking for more Love Recipes:
Try Gulab Kalakand. 
Love-filled Red Rice Paniyaram 

Do's and Dont's while brewing the Pink Tea:

• The amount of sodium bicarbonate matters a lot while brewing the Noon Chai. More Baking soda added to the decoction would result in pinkish-brown tea which we don't want.
• After adding baking soda, stir the decoction vigorously to let the reaction happens. Stir & Boil until the decoction reaches deep pink colour.
• Brewing the tea for a very long time would also change the deep pink colour to brown. So, adding a cup of cold water when the right pink colour is achieved is very important to hold on the pink colour.
• Sweetener is not used in the traditional Kashmir Chai recipe as Kashmiris consume the tea with salt. For non-Kashmiris, when sweeteners are in need, add white coloured sugar or sugar alternate. Adding brown sugar or non-white sugar alternatives would alter the Gorgeous pink colour to pale pinkish brown. I add powdered rock candy while making Noon Chai.
• Never try to rush up by adding green tea leaves and the Baking soda directly to the milk. Because the reaction won't happen and you won't at all get the pink colour.

Kashmir Tea is a little time-consuming process which takes about 15 to 20 minutes for making 2 cups of decoction. If you make a little amount, the job would be much easier. I usually add whole milk to the decoction which results in a good creamy pink tea. When whole milk works greats, why to go for evaporated milk?

My experiments say both Kashmiri tea leaves and other well-branded green tea leaves work similar in giving the right pink colour. So, go ahead with whatever green tea leaves you are having in hands. It should work with no question ;-)

Traditional Brewing Technique:

• The decoction should be brewed until it gets reduced to half and reaches a deep pink colour.
• Again, a cup of cold water is added to stop the reaction. The decoction would again be boiled and reduced to half. This could be done twice or thrice to make a thick deep-coloured decoction.
• The decoction is then added with an evaporated milk to brew-up a cup of Gorgeous Pink Tea.

Fast Brewing Technique:

• Boil until the decoction has reduced to half and the deep pink colour has achieved.
• When it attains the deep pink colour, add in a cup of cold water to stop the reaction happening between green tea leaves and Baking soda.
• Brew-up the Pink tea by adding milk to the prepared decoction.

Brewing again and again as in the traditional method makes a thick concentrated decoction while the fast brewing technique results in a thin decoction. Trust me, both give equally good creamy Noon Chai.

Getting the right pink colour depends on the quality of the green tea leaves, how much baking soda you use and how long you brew the tea. The colour may turn pale while brewing if something went wrong, but, no worries, the taste will remain the same with no change in the creamy note and the unique flavour.

So, you need not be in Kashmir to taste this tasty, creamy and buttery tea. Just a few green tea leaves along with sodium bicarbonate would add a pink beauty to the tea. Can't wait? Okay, off to the information part. Let's move to the cooking procedure:

⏲ Brewing Time: 15 to 20 minutes
🥂 Servings: 4

Gorgeous PINK TEA | Kashmir Noon Chai | Gulabi Chai

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A Gorgeous, Loving and Warming Pink pronounced tea which we get as a result of brewing green tea leaves with baking soda.

What to Use?

• Green tea leaves - 1 tsp
• Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
• Water - 2 cups + 1 cup (cold or ice-cold water)
• Cinnamon - 1-inch stick
• Star anise - 1 
• Cardamom pods - 4
• Milk - 3 cups
• Salt - 1/4 tsp
• Sugar - 3 tbsp (optional)

Steps Involved: 

• Heat 2 cups of water in a pan.
• Add cinnamon stick, star anise and cardamom pods to the water in the pan.
• Add in the green tea leaves and baking soda.
• Stir vigorously until the reaction completes and the deep pink colour appears.
• When the water has reduced to half and the deep colour has achieved, add a cup of cold water.
• Boil and turn off the flame.
• Filter the decoction and store.
• Boil 3 cups of milk and add the decoction to the milk.
• Add in the salt and sugar.
• Mix to get the lovely PINK coloured Noon Chai.

Visual Treat: 

 Video link for "Kashmir Noon Chai" post: 

https://youtu.be/DiOsT7e1STc

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For comforting the easy understandability of the recipe, the step by step detailed procedure along with the picture is shown below:

Step-by-Step Procedure with Pictures

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How to Make?

For Making Decoction:

• Take 2 cups of water in a pan.

• Add cinnamon sticks, star anise and cardamom pods to the water.

• Add in the green tea leaves. Pick any well-branded green tea leaves to brew this Noon chai. Any good quality green tea leaves could be used to get the perfect pink colour.

• Add baking soda to the water. The amount of baking soda decides the colour of the tea. A very little amount would not suffice the reaction to happen. More amount would change the pink colour to brownish pink. 

• Stir vigorously and constantly to support the reaction between green tea leaves and baking soda.

 

• Boil until the water has reduced to half and the colour has changed to deep-pink.
  
  

• Once the deep-pink colour is achieved, add a cup of cold or ice-cold water. Doing so will cease the reaction and hence stop the further change in the deep-pink colour. 

• Boil for some more time and step it away from the burner.

• Filter the decoction to some storage container. 

• Approximately, we get 2 cups of decoction. 1/4 cup of a decoction or less than 1/4 cup should be enough for making a cup of PINK tea. So, you will be able to prepare 8 to 10 cups of Pink Tea which depends on how concentrated the decoction is.  

For Brewing PINK TEA:

• Boil 3 cups of milk in a pan.

• Once it comes to boil, add in the required decoction. I have added 3/4 cup of decoction for 3 cups of milk.

• Add a little salt. Kashmiris use only salt and no sugar for their noon chai. And you know, Noon chai tastes great even without sugar.

• If needed, add any neutral coloured sweetener which doesn't impact the colour of the tea. I used powdered rock candy for this recipe. You could skip the sweetener for the real Noon Chai experience.

• Mix well. Gorgeous, Buttery & Creamy Pink Tea is ready!

• Top the Pink Tea with sliced almonds or pistachios.

• Serve hot the Pink Tea which warms you in every sip!

Video for "PINK TEA" post:

 

Tips:

• Stirring constantly and vigorously would help in getting the pink magic happening inside the Pink Tea.
• Limit the amount of Baking soda and get the perfect Love colour.
• Add cold water once the right stage is achieved or else the reaction would not cease.
• The decoction could be prepared and stored in the refrigerator in advance. It could be used whenever needed without any time delay to the Noon Chai.
• Even without evaporated milk, the Pink Tea would be creamy and buttery with a lip-smacking taste. So, go for whole milk with no more question.

Brew-up the Pink Tea with Loads of Love & 

Get your Loved Ones lost in the Buttery taste of it!

I would love to hear from you. Hope you come back to my blog to leave your recipe experience as a valuable comment!