Citizens! While the drama of coronavirus is playing out across the world, TFD was gratified beyond words to learn that the U.S. war in Afghanistan has now been ended, at least assuming the Taliban abide by the treaty they just signed with the American government.
After 19 years of ceaseless and bloody war and countless lives lost on all sides, it would seem that peace is at last within reach. As such, I wish to share with you a rare Afghani recipe for pink chai tea – qaymaq chai partii – which is traditionally served to friends, family and guests visiting any Afghani home as a symbol of both hospitality and the hope for peace.
As noted on the exceptional blog afghancultureunveiled.com:
Tea, whether it is green or black, is not usually drunk with milk in Afghanistan except perhaps at breakfast time.
On formal occasions, however, such as weddings and engagements, a special tea is prepared called qymaq chai. Qaymaq is similar to clotted cream or the kaymak of the Middle East. This tea is prepared with green tea and by the process of aeration and the addition of bicarbonate of soda the tea turns dark red. Milk is added (and sugar too) and it becomes a purply-pink colour. It has a strong, rich taste. Cardamom is added for added flavour.
The qaymaq is floated on the top. My husband, who is very poetic, likens the colour of the tea to the rosy-hued glow of the mountains in Afghanistan as the sun rises or sets. The qaymaq represents the white snow-capped peaks. He also says that the colour of the tea should be like the purply-pink blossom of the Judas tree which flowers all over in Afghanistan in the spring.
The chai is sometimes served in small glasses called istakhan or small porcelain handle-less bowls, similar to the Chinese tea bowl, called piala.
The addition of bicarbonate of soda is what magically turns the green tea-based chai pink and bicarbonate is helpful for the acid/alkali balance in the body. Since it is thought that alkalizing the body can help with preventing coronavirus infection, this is one drink you should be adding to your daily health regimen, STAT!
You can watch a great video of how to make qaymaq pink chai here – it will help to guide you on how to properly make this unique drink, redolent of cardamom! I would suggest enjoying this with a delicious Afghan dessert if you are in the mood to sample an Afghani teatime! 😀 There can be no equivocation when it comes to TFD’s delight and true enjoyment of Afghani cuisine – my hope is that this recipe and others of its ilk here on the blog will help make this country’s recipes more accessible!
The base recipe I used for my version of qaymaq pink chai comes from Afghan Food and Cookery by Helen Saberi published by Hippocrene in the United States. Highly recommended to buy, by the way!
My tweak is to adjust the cardamom to my liking as well as adding a hint of clove to the drink – I have every confidence you will find this unique chai much to the liking of both yourself and your guests, . Please do see fit to try this at earliest opportunity, thank the powers that be for a (hopeful) conclusion to nearly 20 years of violence and tip your cap to the mightiness that ALONE is TFD! There still remains a hope for peace in Afghanistan, and I hope to see it in My lifetime! 😀
Battle on – the Generalissimo
The Hirshon Afghani Spiced Pink Milk Chai – قیماق ګلابي چای
- Total Time: 0 hours
Ingredients
- For the qaymaq:
- 2 cups (450 ml) whole milk, preferably both organic and from a Jersey cow
- 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 6 Tbsp. (75 ml) heavy cream
- ***
- For the tea:
- 3 cups (680ml) water
- 6 tsp. green tea
- 1/4 tsp. bicarbonate of soda
- 1 1/4 cups (280ml) whole milk, preferably organic and from a Jersey cow
- 6 tsp. sugar
- 2 tsp. freshly-ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp. freshly-ground cloves
- 8 tsp. qaymaq
- ice cubes
- ***
- garnish with pulverized pistachios
Instructions
- To make the qaymaq: add the milk to a pan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and stir in the cream. Sieve in the cornflour, stir to mix, then whisk until frothy. Leave on a low heat. A thick skin will form on the top of the milk. This should be removed from time to time and collected in another pan until there is only a small amount of milk left. Place the pan with all the collected qymaq again on a low heat and leave for a couple of hours more. Then keep the qymaq in a cool place until it is needed.
- Put the water in a pan and bring to the boil. Add the green tea and boil for about 5 minutes until the leaves have opened up. Add the bicarbonate of soda and continue to boil for a couple of minutes more. The tea will rise to the top of the pan whilst boiling. Each time it does add an ice cube to reduce the temperature.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow the tea leaves to settle. Strain off and discard the tea leaves. Put an ice cube into another pan and pour the tea into it from a height in order to aerate the tea. (A ladle could also be used to do the aeration). Repeat, pouring from a height from pan to pan, several times, adding an ice cube each time until the tea becomes a dark red color.
- Put the pan back on the heat and add the milk. The color of the tea will now be a purply-pink color. Slowly heat it to just below boiling point, then stir in the sugar, cloves and cardamom. Pour the tea into teacups and float two teaspoons of qaymaq on top. Sprinkle with pulverized pistachios and serve.
- Prep Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 0 hours
- Category: Beverages, Recipes
you had me at chai…this is completely new to me, and i can’t wait to make it.
and may there indeed be peace after so many years of war and horror.