The Kashmiri have it good - Houseboats, Pashmina, Saffron, and.......Kahwa!

I'd been introduced to Kahwa (Kashmiri Green Tea) a few years ago by a Kashmiri friend in the U.S. I've hunted high and low for this exotic tea in India ever since. The other day I find it, oh so casually, at The Bombay Store. Since then no weekend has gone by without its consumption.

It not only tastes really smooth, but also has a medicinal value. Its a great drink to have when you have a sore throat or a cold and is said to aid digestion. Works like magic everytime. It is made traditionally in a Kashmiri Samovar kettle, a large decorated urn with burning coals underneath. A pan on a cooking range works just as well!

A teaspoon of this potent tea yields around 4 cups worth of brew.

Procedure:

~Boil 4 cups of water, add sugar per taste, and a pinch of each - cinnamon powder and cardamom (i personally like less of cinnamon and more of cardamon).

~Add a teaspoon of Kahwa leaves and let the mixture brew on lower flame for an additional 10 minutes.

~Strain the drink and then garnish it with almonds slivers. (As a variation, you could also add a strand or two of Saffron, and garnish with Pistachios).

~Serve piping hot and enjoy!!!

A nice variation to the usual tea/coffee social offering, dont you think?!!