Peshawari Kahwa is an aromatic green tea that originated somewhere around the second century and was a staple drink in the countries of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Central Asia, and Northern India, especially in the Kashmir Valley.
Peshawari Qehwa is a combination of green tea leaves, saffron, cinnamon bark, cardamom pods, cloves, star anise, dry fruits such as almonds, walnuts, or cherries and sometimes Kashmiri roses.
Benefits of Peshawari Kahwa
1. Improves digestion and metabolism
Kahwa is known to aid digestion. A cup of this tea can cleanse the digestive tract and keep it running smoothly. It also speeds up the body’s metabolism. Kashmiri cuisine is a very rich and complex combination of flavors and ingredients. Therefore, the main purpose of Kahwa is to help digest heavy food.
It works especially well in winter and relieves digestive problems such as constipation and inflammation of the digestive tract. Having a cup of Kahwa first thing in the morning helps stimulate the digestive system.
2. Helps in weight loss
one of the main benefits of this fragrant chai is that it helps burn fat. Technically, it prevents the deposition of cholesterol in the blood vessels and reduces the risk of heart disease. Cinnamon present in tea suppresses appetite, regulates blood sugar, and lowers cholesterol.
3. Stress relief
Tea is rich in antioxidants that act directly on the liver and support the cleansing of the body of toxins. It helps in removing free radicals and impurities generated by the liver while detoxifying the body. A cup of warm Kahwa at night can help reduce problems such as insomnia and anxiety.
4. Helps maintain healthy skin
The rich base of Kahwa helps in reducing skin problems such as acne, dryness, and redness. Essential oils from added crushed almonds and walnuts help hydrate from within while maintaining the skin’s natural glow. The amino acid Theanine found in it helps to keep the skin clean and supple and gives it a youthful appearance
Ingredients for Peshawari Kahwa
- Green tea (“gunpowder”) – 1 tsp
- Green cardamoms, seeds only, crushed into powder – 4
- Almonds – 4 blanched and roughly crushed
- Honey – to taste
- Cinnamon – 2 sticks (optional)
- Saffron – 4 strands (optional)
- water – 4 cups
How to Prepare Peshawari Kahwa
- Add water to the pot and bring to a boil. Once it boils, add cardamom powder or seeds, almonds, cinnamon, and saffron, and let it cook.
- When the water boils well, put the green tea and cover it and after 3 minutes remove it from the stove and strain it into cups.
- Traditionally, cardamom powder, crushed almonds, and optional cinnamon are placed in the cups and the tea is poured over.
- I prefer to add cardamom and almonds to the tea at the beginning and then strain everything.
Mix in honey to taste.
