How to make Kashmiri kahwa at home

If you use a ready kahwa blend, such as the ones in Harud Origins, the tea and spices are already mixed, so you can skip the separate spices or add a little extra of the ones you like best.

Method

1. 1Step 1: Put the saffron in a spoonful of warm water to soak while you start. How to use saffron explains why this helps.
2. 2Step 2: Bring the water to the boil with the cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Lower the heat and let it simmer for three to five minutes, so the spices flavour the water.
3. 3Step 3: Take the pan off the heat and add the tea leaves. Let them steep for two to three minutes. Green tea turns bitter if it boils or steeps too long, so keep an eye on it.
4. 4Step 4: Strain into cups or a teapot.
5. 5Step 5: Add the soaked saffron, then a spoonful of almond slivers to each cup.
6. 6Step 6: Sweeten with honey or sugar, and serve hot.

Making it your own

Every family has its own kahwa. Some use more cardamom, some leave out the cloves, some add a dried rose petal or two. Some like it pale and delicate, others strong. Make it a few times and adjust: more spice in the pot, less time with the tea, or a few more threads of saffron in the cup.

The almonds are part of the drink, not a garnish to leave behind. They soften a little in the hot tea, and many people eat them with a spoon at the end. Whole almonds from Harud Harvest sliver easily with a sharp knife, or you can chop them finely.

Honey or sugar

Both work. Honey gives a softer, rounder sweetness; stir it in once the kahwa has cooled a little in the cup, rather than into the boiling pot, so its own flavour comes through. Sugar dissolves easily in the pot and keeps the taste of the spices clear. Some people drink kahwa with no sweetener at all.

Serving kahwa

Serve kahwa hot, in small cups, with something to eat beside it: a few walnuts, a dried apricot or a plate of biscuits. It is a kind thing to offer guests, and it goes well with the dry fruits you would set out for a visit anyway.