Ingredients
Tea
- 3 tsploose green tea leaves
- 1 litrewater
- 6green cardamom pods, lightly cracked
To serve
- nabat (rock sugar crystals) or sugar cubes, to hold between the teeth
- a small dish of sugared almonds, raisins or dried chickpeas (noql)
- 6piyala, small handleless bowls
Directions
- Rinse the teapot with boiling water and pour it away, so the pot is hot before the leaves go in.
- Bring the litre of water to a boil, then let it stand off the heat for 2 minutes to fall to about 85°C (185°F); boiling water scalds green tea and turns it bitter.
- Put the tea leaves and the cracked cardamom into the warmed pot.
- Pour in the hot water, put the lid on and let it stand 4 to 5 minutes; the liquor should be pale yellow-green, not brown.
- Pour one cup and tip it back into the pot to even out the strength, an Afghan habit that also warms the spout.
- Serve in small piyala, poured only two thirds full, so the cup can be picked up without burning the fingers.
- Guests take a piece of nabat between their teeth and drink the tea through it, or take a handful of noql with the cup; sugar is almost never stirred in.
- Refill continuously. In Afghan hospitality the pot is kept in a thermos and cups are topped up until the guest turns the cup over or covers it with a hand.
Technique
- Green tea is the daily tea of southern and western Afghanistan; the north and Kabul drink more chai siyah, black tea, and both are poured from a thermos all day long.
- Cardamom is the standard, but a Kandahari pot may also carry a few strands of saffron, which turns the tea gold and is the mark of a good guest.
- Never boil the leaves. Chai sabz is infused, and reboiled tea is considered undrinkable.
Substitutions
- No nabat: use a rough sugar cube or a small piece of hard candy. A pinch of dried mint or a cinnamon splinter is a common winter addition.
Variations
- Qaymaq chai, the pink milk tea of northern Afghanistan, uses green tea leaves boiled with bicarbonate of soda until they turn red, then milk to make it pink.
- Chai-e zafaran adds saffron and is served at weddings.
History
Green tea dominates in Afghanistan’s north and centre, black tea in the east; both are refilled constantly for visitors.
Frequently asked questions
What is Chai Sabz?
Chai Sabz is a drink from Afghanistan: green tea with cardamom, poured endlessly from a thermos for every guest. Green tea dominates in Afghanistan’s north and centre, black tea in the east; both are refilled constantly for visitors.
How long does Chai Sabz take to make?
Chai Sabz takes 3 min of preparation and 10 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 small cups. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Chai Sabz?
Yes, within limits. No nabat: use a rough sugar cube or a small piece of hard candy. A pinch of dried mint or a cinnamon splinter is a common winter addition.
What is the most important thing to get right in Chai Sabz?
Guests take a piece of nabat between their teeth and drink the tea through it, or take a handful of noql with the cup; sugar is almost never stirred in.
