January 22, 2019
If there is one thing that both Pakistanis and the British love, it is a good cup of tea. The history of tea in Pakistan is rich and varied and is intertwined with the British tea history through British colonial times in South East Asia.
Known by its Urdu name ‘Chai’ in Pakistan, it is one of the most consumed beverages across the whole of the country. Even though they produce their own tea, they are still ranked as the third largest importer of tea with around 100,00 tonnes of the stuff being consumed in Pakistan each and every year. And that number is growing!
Types Of Tea In Pakistan
Pakistan has a huge range of tea that is drank daily. Each one provides its own unique tastes, fragrances and colours. Let’s grab ourselves a brew, and take a look at a few:
The day-to-day tea of choice for many Pakistanis. This tea is made similarly to how we like to make tea here in the UK; firstly, brewing the tea in hot water before pouring it into cups and adding milk and sugar to taste. This is the tea you will probably be offered if you ever visit someone anywhere in Pakistan.
This tea isn’t just famous in Pakistan; Nepal, India and Bangladesh all consume tonnes of this famous tea each year. It is the second most popular tea of choice across Pakistan and is made slightly differently. This tea only uses tea, sugar and milk to give a silkier and creamier tea. You may also see this tea referred to as Peshawari Chai as well.
This tea has become famous all over the world for its spicy profile and can be found in almost any café or coffee shop. This black tea is mixed with a selection of herbs and spices originally including cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, ground cloves, ground ginger and black peppercorn: but the recipe differs from place to place.
If you enjoy Pakistani tea as much as you enjoy Pakistani food, then Royal Nawaab’s halal restaurant in London should be your next destination.
