What decorates the land of Kashmir is its history adorned by luscious landscapes, great food, the tastiest apples and the famous Kashmiri Kahwa. Kashmiris and Kahwa go hand in hand, and there is nothing better than a warm cup of Kahwa tea on a chilling winter morning!
Kahwa is prominent in regions like Kashmir, Afghanistan, the Middle East, Iran and Central Asia. The versatile ways of serving and the concoctions like adding pistachios, pine nuts, cherries, walnuts and so on has made it very distinguished worldwide.
What Is Kahwa?
The Kahwa is an extraneous combination of Kashmiri green tea leaves, whole spices like cardamom, cinnamon and cloves, nuts and saffron which is prepared in a traditional brass kettle called samovar. The samovar is designed with a cavity or space in the centre to place hot coal which helps in boiling the water and other tea ingredients placed in the adjoining space. A traditional Kahwa tea is lightly golden and has a bright appearance.
Health Benefits of Kahwa Tea
Kahwa has astounding benefits that are good for skin and health. The Kahwa benefits are as follows-
- Kahwa is an excellent metabolism booster. It flushes out toxins from the system and works as a natural detox for the body.
- It helps in weight loss and burning fat. It prevents the increase of cholesterol in the blood vessels and curtails the risk of heart diseases.
- Kashmiri Kahwa green tea strengthens the immune system and provides overall protection to the body.
- Kahwa tea being rich in antioxidants diminishes the anxiety or stress levels. It energises the body.
- It is an outstanding home remedy for cold, cough and congestion. It is known to act on the phlegm in the chest, thereby remedying a cold or cough.
- The antioxidants in Kahwa enhance the skin and help in the reduction of acne.
- Kahwa also helps in fighting headache and migraine.
- It is also known to be beneficial for eye vision.
- Kahwa expands concentration and focus.
Apart from the general benefits, the spices used in the Kahwa tea are known to have their advantages that contribute to one’s health.
- Cardamom, a traditional spice from Kerala, is used in the Kahwa tea. The diuretic properties of cardamom help in decreasing the blood pressure levels and stimulating weight loss. The antioxidants present in cardamom prevent inflammation and insulate the cells from damage. Along with these, cardamon prevents bad breath, aids digestion and soothes the stomach.
- Cinnamon, another prized ingredient in the Kahwa tea, has excellent medicinal properties. The antioxidants, such as polyphenols in cinnamon, have anti-inflammatory characteristics and are used to treat arthritis. It protects the body and is known to lower blood sugar levels and increases sensitivity towards the hormone Insulin.
- Clove which is also known as Syzygium aromaticum is highly rich in antioxidants like eugenol and Vitamin C which reduce the oxidative stress. Cloves are beneficial for oral health, and they also counterattack the action of microorganisms due to their antimicrobial properties.
- Almonds boost weight loss. They are rich in fibre, Vitamin E, magnesium, protein and healthy fats. Regular consumption of almonds reduces blood sugar levels, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
- Saffron, one of the most expensive harvested spices, is commonly known as saffron crocus. Saffron is said to accentuate libido, enhance mood and memory and care for PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) pains.
How to Make Kahwa Tea
Here is the recipe to the incredibly healthy Kashmiri Kahwa tea.
Ingredients
- Water - 1 cup
- Cardamom - 2, slightly crushed
- Cinnamon sticks -½ inch
- Cloves - 2
- Honey - 1-2 teaspoon
- A few strands of saffron
- Kashmiri green tea leaves - 1 teaspoon (You can check out the Girnar Kahwa which is one of the best handpicked Kashmiri Kahwa green tea leaves.)
Method
- Add the cardamom, cloves and the cinnamon stick in a cup of water.
- Boil the water along with above-mentioned ingredients.
- Add the Kashmiri green tea leaves or the Girnar Kashmiri Kahwa leaves and switch off the flame.
- Let the taste of the green tea leaves infuse into the water.
- While the infusion takes place, slice the almonds into pieces or the preferable size.
- Add the sliced almonds and saffron into a teacup.
- Strain the tea and pour it into the cup.
- Sweeten the Kahwa tea with honey.
There you have your Girnar Kashmiri Kahwa tea warm and ready!
Note: In case you do not have Kashmiri green tea leaves, you can use any other green tea.
The Kashmiri Kahwa green tea leaves are available in powder form as well as in the form of Kahwa tea bags.
