How to Make Kashmiri Chai Pink

Quick answer: Kashmiri chai develops its pink colour through tea, a small amount of baking soda, aeration and finally milk; the concentrate must first reach a deep reddish tone.

Build a strong tea concentrate first

Pink colour starts before the milk goes in. Simmer the appropriate tea leaves in water with only a small amount of baking soda. The liquid needs time to become strong and develop a deep reddish-brown tone; weak concentrate usually produces pale tea.

Why baking soda matters

The alkaline environment changes how compounds in the tea behave during extraction and oxidation. More is not better: too much baking soda can give the drink an unpleasant taste, so follow the recipe quantity rather than adding extra just to chase colour.

Aeration helps colour development

Traditional methods repeatedly lift, pour or whisk the concentrate to expose it to air. Aerate while the tea base is developing instead of waiting until after the milk has been added.

Add cold water according to the method

Many Kashmiri chai methods use a change in temperature as part of developing the concentrate. Follow the sequence in your recipe and continue cooking until the base has a convincing reddish tone.

Add milk only after the concentrate is ready

Milk lightens a properly developed reddish concentrate into the familiar pink shade. If the base is still brown and weak, adding more milk usually makes it beige rather than pink.

Why Kashmiri chai may stay brown

Common causes include unsuitable tea leaves, weak extraction, insufficient aeration, incorrect baking-soda quantity or adding milk too early. Diagnose the concentrate first instead of trying to correct the finished cup with artificial colour.