Kahwah (also transliterated as qehwa, kehwa or kahwa) is a traditional preparation of

green tea Green tea is a type of tea that is made from '' Camellia sinensis'' leaves and buds that have not undergone the same withering and oxidation process which is used to make oolong teas and black teas. Green tea originated in China, and since th ...

(''

Camellia sinensis ''Camellia sinensis'' is a species of evergreen shrub or small tree in the flowering plant family Theaceae. Its leaves and leaf buds are used to produce the popular beverage, tea. Common names include tea plant, tea shrub, and tea tree (not t ...

'') widely consumed in

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Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

, some regions of

Central Asia Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes the fo ...

Preparation

The

Kashmiri Kashmiri may refer to: * People or things related to the Kashmir Valley or the broader region of Kashmir * Kashmiris, an ethnic group native to the Kashmir Valley * Kashmiri language, their language People with the name * Kashmiri Saikia Baruah ...

kahwah is made by boiling green tea leaves with local

saffron Saffron () is a spice derived from the flower of ''Crocus sativus'', commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma (botany), stigma and stigma (botany)#style, styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly ...

cinnamon Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus '' Cinnamomum''. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, breakf ...

cardamom Cardamom (), sometimes cardamon or cardamum, is a spice made from the seeds of several plants in the genera '' Elettaria'' and '' Amomum'' in the family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to the Indian subcontinent and Indonesia. They ar ...

and occasionally Kashmiri roses. It is generally served with

sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or do ...

honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...

and crushed nuts, usually

almonds The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genus ...

walnut A walnut is the edible seed of a drupe of any tree of the genus ''Juglans'' (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, '' Juglans regia''. Although culinarily considered a "nut" and used as such, it is not a true ...

s. Some varieties are made as a herbal infusion only—without the green tea leaves. Traditionally, kahwah is prepared in a copper kettle known as a

samovar A samovar (russian: самовар, , literally "self-brewer") is a metal container traditionally used to heat and boil water. Although originating in Russia, the samovar is well known outside of Russia and has spread through Russian culture t ...

. A samovar, which originates from

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, consists of a fire container running as a central cavity, in which live

coals An ember, also called a hot coal, is a hot lump of smouldering solid fuel, typically glowing, composed of greatly heated wood, coal, or other carbon-based material. Embers (hot coals) can exist within, remain after, or sometimes precede, a ...

are placed to keep the tea warm. Around the fire container there is a space for water to boil and the tea leaves and other ingredients are mixed with the water. Kahwah may also be made in normal pots and kettles, as modern day urban living may not always permit the use of elaborate samovars. Sometimes milk is added to the Kahwah, but this is generally given to the elderly or the sick. Peshawari Qehwa (a variety of Kahwah found in

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (; ps, خېبر پښتونخوا; Urdu, Hindko: خیبر پختونخوا) commonly abbreviated as KP or KPK, is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the northwestern region of the country, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ...

) is traditionally made with Jasmine tea and green cardamom. It is famously served at chaikhanas (or tea houses) of Qissa Khwani bazar.

History

While its exact origins are unclear, kahwa tea leaves are said to have come to Kashmir through the Spice Route, which Kashmir was a central point of. Many believe that it originated during the Kushan empire in the first and second century AD. The word Kahwah in Kashmiri means "sweetened tea", though the word also seems to be related to the Turkish word for coffee (''kahve'') which in turn might be derived from the Arabic word "qahwah." Traditionally, Kashmiris have always referred to kahwa as Mogul chai. Meaning this tea was introduced in the valley back then by the

Mughal emperors The Mughal emperors ( fa, , Pādishāhān) were the supreme heads of state of the Mughal Empire on the Indian subcontinent, mainly corresponding to the modern countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Mughal rulers styled ...

. Historically, kahwah has been popular as a drink throughout

Kashmir Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...

, Central Asia, Iran and the Middle East. Even today, it remains a popular drink of choice in these regions.

Modern usage and popularity

Today, this historically popular drink is usually served to guests or as part of a celebration dinner, and saffron (''kong'') is added to the kahwah for special visitors in Kashmir. It is often served in tiny, shallow cups. Kehwa in Kashmir is also commonly served after Wazwan and elaborate family dinners. The green tea leaves are brought in from the neighbouring Kangra region which has been known to historically export green tea to Kashmir, Afghanistan and other parts of Central Asia.

References

{{cite web , title=Kahwah tea , url=https://simplifyb2b.com/blogs/detail/kahwa-tea---royal-tea-from-kashmir---simplifyb2b , website=SimplifyB2B , publisher=Roy Banerjee Blended tea Green tea Afghan cuisine Kashmiri cuisine Pakistani tea Pashtun cuisine Omani cuisine Indian tea