This is milky, spiced chai with saffron added to it — closer to the masala chai you'd get at a roadside stall than to anything specifically Kashmiri. It's worth being clear about that, because Kashmir has two well-known teas that often get lumped in with "saffron chai" and really aren't the same drink. Kahwa is made with green tea leaves, no milk at all, and saffron along with almonds and cardamom. Noon Chai is the salted pink tea, made with baking soda and simmered for a long time to get that color. Kesar chai is simpler than both: black tea, whole spices, milk, sugar, and saffron stirred in right at the end.
The one thing that makes or breaks this cup is when you add the saffron. Boil it along with everything else and you lose most of what makes it worth adding in the first place.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup full-fat milk
- 2 teaspoons loose black tea (CTC)
- 2-3 teaspoons sugar, or to taste
- 1 small piece ginger, crushed
- 2 green cardamom pods, crushed
- 1 small stick cinnamon
- 1 clove
- 8-10 Kashmiri saffron strands
- 1 tablespoon warm milk (for blooming saffron)
Instructions
- Soak the saffron strands in 1 tablespoon of warm milk and set aside while you make the tea.
- Pour the water into a saucepan and add the crushed ginger, cardamom, cinnamon stick, and clove. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes so the spices release their flavor into the water.
- Add the black tea leaves and let them simmer for another minute.
- Pour in the milk and bring the whole thing back to a gentle boil, watching closely so it doesn't boil over.
- Lower the heat and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the color turns a strong reddish-brown.
- Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.
- Turn off the heat, then stir in the bloomed saffron milk. Adding it after the heat is off keeps the color bright and stops the aroma from cooking away.
- Strain into cups and serve immediately, while it's still steaming.
Tips for Best Results
Don't let the milk sit on a hard boil for too long — past a certain point it just reduces and turns the chai heavy rather than stronger. If you want a more pronounced saffron flavor rather than just color, crush the strands lightly between your fingers before soaking them; whole unbroken strands release color faster than they release flavor. CTC tea (the small, dark granules most Indian households use) gives a stronger, quicker brew than leaf tea, which matters here because the chai only simmers for a few minutes total. If all you have is leaf tea, let it simmer an extra minute or two to compensate, and strain well so you're not left with loose leaves in the cup. Adjust the ratio of water to milk to taste — some people like a stronger tea base with just a splash of milk, others prefer it closer to equal parts, and both work fine with this method as long as the saffron goes in at the end either way.
Serving Suggestions
Kesar chai works as an everyday morning or evening cup, paired with something plain like a rusk or a biscuit so the spices and saffron aren't competing with another strong flavor. It also makes a nice alternative to Kahwa for guests who want something a bit more filling, or during colder months when the warmth of the milk is as welcome as the taste.
