Simple Spiced Kashmiri Pink Chai

5 from 2 votes

Kashmiri pink chai is a gorgeous tea with a strong spiced flavor. This Kashmiri pink tea is made sweet or salty - try it both ways!

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Indian, Middle Eastern

Servings: cups

Calories: 105kcal

Add 2 cups water to a medium saucepan, along with Kashmiri chai leaves, cardamom pods, star anise, and a cinnamon stick. Stir and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, prepare the ice water.
Once it begins to boil, add baking soda and salt. Stir and reduce heat to medium-low. Use ladle to aerate the tea every 60 seconds or so, scooping out the liquid and pouring it back in. This will assist the color change process. Allow the tea to gently boil for 4-6 minutes or until liquid is reduced by about half and tea is dark red in color.
When you start to see pink bubbles on the surface of the tea, give it one more stir to confirm it's achieved a deep red color throughout. If so, add the ice water and aerate several more times with the ladle. Slowly add in the milk, sugar, and orange blossom water. Bring it back to a gentle boil, then immediately remove from heat.
Strain tea and serve topped with chopped pistachios and dried seedless rosehips.

The baking soda will start to fizz a little when you first add it in - totally fine!
The ice water creates a rapid temperature drop that "shocks" the tea - in other words, it promotes further aeration and intensifies the color reaction. It also helps prevent the tea leaves from over-steeping!
I recommend occasionally stirring the tea throughout the cooking process to keep the leaves from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Don't over-boil, especially after adding in the milk, as this will cause it to lose that gorgeous pink shade!
While Kashmiri chai is traditionally served hot, I recommend trying it served over ice as well!
Want to make it extra fancy? You can sprinkle a bit of edible glitter over it just before serving.