~159 cal · 7g protein · 10g carbs · 10g fat (estimated, per serving)
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Cup of pink milk tea topped with cream and pistachios
🇦🇫 Kabul
Qymaq chai is Afghanistan's show-stopping pink tea: green tea whisked hard with baking soda until it turns deep red, then lightened with milk to a rose color and finished with qymaq (clotted cream) and crushed pistachios. Served at weddings and winter mornings, it is rich, warming, and quietly spectacular.
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🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
Ingredients
Serves 4 —
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3 tbsp green tea leaves
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4 cups water
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1/2 tsp baking soda
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2 cups milk
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1/4 cup + 2 tbsp clotted cream and crushed pistachios, to top
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to taste sugar or cardamom
Instructions
1
Boil the green tea hard in the water until reduced by half and very dark.
2
Add the baking soda and whisk vigorously — the tea turns deep red as it aerates.
3
Pour in cold water and the milk and heat gently until the tea blushes rose-pink; sweeten to taste.
4
Serve topped with a spoon of clotted cream and a scatter of crushed pistachios.
Afghan wedding and winter tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination
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Kabul. Where eggplant earns yogurt, mint, and respect.
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Afghanistan. Crossroads cooking of rice, yogurt, and mountain hospitality.
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Asia. From street-cart woks to slow monastery kitchens.
The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.
👩🍳
Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker
Recipes cooked, tested, and researched by the creators of Spin the Globe. How we build our recipes →
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