Published By: Nirtika Pandita

Indian famous regional teas that have become popular

Varied taste but touching the right palate

Like the vast food palate that is deeply rooted in the very fabric of Indian culture and tradition, there are teas that unique to its region. From every state and region of the country, originates a piping hot cuppa tea that is not only delicious in taste but special for the ingredients used in its preparation. From different in colour to texture to the style of preparation to the material used in them, each tea is different from the other. So here is a list of some of the regional teas from India you might not have heard of before.

Masala Chai

Also known by the name of adrak chai or elaichi chai, simple masala chai is the love language of Indians. A simple yet powerful concoction of milk, tea leaves, water, ginger, lemongrass, cardamom, cinnamon, sugar, and black pepper boiled together – masala chai is the lifeline of Indians. India a rich land of tea plantations has some of the best tea leaves for a cup of masala chai. The best part about the preparation of chai is that every household will have its unique way of making this humble cup of tea.

Butter tea

Originating from the land of Ladakh, butter tea is also popular in Sikkim. It is also known by the name of our our chai and is prepared by boiling tea leaves with butter made of yak milk, salt, and water. An eponymous cylindrical wooden churn is used to boil the tea and is seen in the colour pink. In a normal usual Ladakhi household, you will see cups of butter tea floating around freely, as it keeps the body temperature in check and fights dehydration under the harsh cold weather of Ladakh.

Kashmiri Kahwa

Coming from the beautiful land of India, this no-milk tea is a one-stop solution for cough, cold, and body rejuvenation. It is a special brew spiced with black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, and rose in some preparations. The tea leaves used in Kahwa look similar to green tea leaves but differ from them largely in taste. Once the water is boiled along with the spices and sugar, the tea leaves are left in the water to brew for a few minutes. The final touch in Kashmiri Kahawa is the crushed almonds that are garnished in the cup.

Some other types of teas available in India are Darjeeling Tea, Nilgiri Tea, Nun chai, Irani chai, Sulaimani chai, Parsi Choi, and Assam Tea to name a few.