Kashmiri Kahwa Recipe | Kahwa Tea

Kashmiri Kahwa is a fragrant, warming, mild green tea made with whole spices, saffron, and nuts like almonds or walnuts. Using whole aromatic spices and saffron makes Kahwa Tea warming, for the body – perfect for the cold climate of Kashmir.

About Kahwa

Kahwa is one of my favorite ways to have Green Tea. I have no shame admitting I am addicted to it! Every evening and even sometimes after lunch, I make myself a cup of kahwa chai.

It refreshes, rejuvenates, relaxes, soothes, calms and makes you feel good. These are the effects of saffron and green tea doing their work.

I have also made kahwa chai with the premade kahwa tea available in the market. Honestly speaking, I prefer to make kahwa with green tea leaves and add the spices myself according to the season.

This Kashmiri kahwa recipe also shows you how to make a perfect cup of kahwa with the spices you have. I can nearly guarantee it’ll drive your blues away.

Please note, this is how I make kahwa. It may not be authentic, but it is delicious. You will love kahwa made this way.

Kashmiri Kahwa Ingredients

1. Green tea leaves – Use any good brand of green tea leaves — preferably organic green tea. Some variations of kahwa are also made without green tea, relying on only spices. If you are in need of a caffeine-free sipper, feel free to omit the green tea.
2. Spices – Essentially, kahwa is made up of just two main spices: cardamom and cinnamon. Apart from these two fragrant spices, some variations also use cloves and saffron.
3. Rose petals – For some mild, sweet, fragrant notes, I also add dried rose petals. I dry the rosebuds from my terrace garden and use them in kahwa. Rose petals are an optional ingredient and you can skip them.
4. Nuts – Slivered or sliced almonds are commonly added in kahwa. In place of almonds, walnuts can also be used.
5. Sweetener – For the sweetener, I use unrefined cane sugar or raw sugar. Honey is often suggested in other recipes, but I do not recommend adding honey to a hot brewed tea as honey gets poisonous when it gets heated. For a sugar-free kahwa, just skip adding sugar.

Ingredient Swaps

• Sweeteners: You can add your preferred sweetener or skip them.
• Spices: You could skip cloves if you do not have these but green cardamoms and cinnamon are essential.
• Rose petals: Being an exotic ingredient, omit rose petals, if you do not have them.
• Saffron: I know saffron is an expensive spice and if you do not have it, then simply skip it.

How To Brew A Perfect Cup Of Kahwa

Kahwa is made in copper pots known as samovar in Kashmir. These are large pots where the tea is brewed. In a home kitchen, kahwa is made in a pan.

Some people prefer to boil the green tea leaves for a couple of minutes. I do not suggest you do this unless you prefer a bitter flavor.

Instead, steep the green tea leaves for a few minutes in hot – not boiling – water. I have had tea made with green tea leaves boiled in water and it spoils the delicate taste & flavor. If you have a thermometer on hand, aim for around 80 to 82° C (175 to 180° F).

In this kahwa recipe, the spices are lightly crushed to release their flavors and then simmered for 2 to 3 minutes.

The heat is then turned off, the green tea leaves are added, and then everything is steeped for 2 to 3 minutes in the hot water. After this, the kahwa tea is ready to be strained and served.

Adding Saffron

I personally do not add saffron when brewing the tea, because why waste expensive saffron? The tea leaves and spices are strained, and the saffron goes waste. It makes more sense to me to add the saffron in the cup itself and have the tea and saffron both.

How to make Kahwa Tea Recipe

Preparation

1. Get all the spices ready before you start making kahwa. You will need the following spices:

• 2 inches of cinnamon
• 2 green cardamom pods
• 2 cloves
• 5 to 6 dried rose petals – optional
• 10 to 12 strands of saffron

Be sure to use true cinnamon and not cassia cinnamon.

2. Take the cinnamon, cloves and green cardamoms in a mortar-pestle. Crush them lightly.

3. Slice 4 to 5  almonds thinly. Almonds can also be crushed in the mortar and pestle if you prefer.

You can even also 2 to 3 walnuts in place of almonds; just chop or crush them and set aside. Optionally, you can rinse the almonds before slicing them.

Make Kahwa Tea

4. In a saucepan, take 2 cups water. Place saucepan on the stove-top on a medium heat.

5. Add the lightly crushed spices in the water.

6. Add 5 to 6 dried rose petals. You can skip rose petals if you wish.

7. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar (or add to taste).

8. Let the water come to a gentle boil on a medium heat.

9. Turn off the heat. Place the pan on the kitchen counter-top.

Add 1 teaspoon of green tea. You can add less or more green tea leaves depending on your preferences.

10. Cover the pan with its lid and steep the tea leaves in the hot water for 2 to 3 minutes.

11. After 2 to 3 minutes, pour kahwa tea in small cups using a tea strainer.

12. Add 3 to 4 saffron strands and sliced almonds in each cup and stir.

13. Serve kahwa and enjoy this fragrant mild green tea. Kashmiri kahwa can be served as an after lunch or dinner tea. You can even have kahwa tea as an evening drink before bed.

Expert Tips

• Brewing time: I usually brew green tea for 2 to 3 minutes. Depending on the grade and quality of the leaves, the brewing time can vary from 2 to 5 minutes. Do not steep or brew the leaves for a longer time as this will make the tea bitter.
• Including honey: I do not suggest adding honey as a sweetener. As per Ayurveda honey becomes toxic when heated or when dissolved in hot liquids.
• Where to buy: Green tea leaves can be brought from any health store, super store or online. Kahwa pre-made mixes can be purchased online.

FAQs

This Kashmiri Kahwa Tea recipe from the archives first published in July 2019 has been updated and republished on February 2023.