Instatrend: noon chai

Move over chai latte and make way for noon chai. This Pakistani drink is a worldwide hit on Instagram, naturally because of its taste but especially because of its looks: it is incredibly pink.

Tea time

Noon chai (also known as Kashmiri chai or pink chai) is a type of green tea made from Kashmiri leaves with spices such as cardamom and cloves. The ingredients come from the Kashmir region of Pakistan, near India. Making it does require some patience: you have to stir for twenty minutes before the drink develops its characteristic pink color and velvety texture.

Sweet and salty

The spicy tea is served with warm milk and sugar, making it somewhat similar to chai latte. The flavor is full-bodied and lightly sweet, with a subtle salty aftertaste. Sometimes it comes with a topping of crunchy pistachios or almonds.

Also check out this coffee trend from Asia: the selfiecchino

Make it yourself

You can buy Kashmiri tea leaves online or at a Pakistani toko. Boil them with star anise and cardamom in water for 20 minutes. Keep stirring the water the entire time so oxygen is added to the tea and the tea turns pink. A spoonful of baking soda enhances this effect.

Cool the tea with ice cubes to preserve the color and add milk and sugar. Bring the tea to a boil again and voilà, your Instafähige noon chai is ready to serve.

Where to buy it?

At the moment, this beautiful drink is only available in a few places, such as Saeed’s Curry House, a Pakistani toko at Javastraat 8 in Amsterdam-Oost.

Image: Instagram @Nurshop.ca