Food & Drink
Pakistani Chai Varieties
The rich diversity of tea culture in Pakistan — from the creamy doodh patti of Punjab to the pink noon chai of Kashmir and the aromatic kahwa of Peshawar.
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Name↕ | Region↕ | Key Ingredients↕ | Serving Style↕ | Sweetness Level↕ | Description↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doodh Patti | Punjab / Nationwide | Tea leaves, whole milk, sugar | Small glass cup or ceramic mug | Medium to Sweet | Pakistan's signature chai — boiled milk with tea leaves and no water, rich and creamy |
| Kashmiri Chai (Noon Chai / Pink Tea) | Kashmir / Northern Areas | Green tea leaves, milk, baking soda, salt, pistachios, almonds | Decorated cup with crushed nuts on top | Salty (savory) | Iconic pink-hued tea with a unique savory flavor, traditionally served at weddings and special occasions |
| Karak Chai | Nationwide / Urban | Strong tea leaves, condensed milk, sugar, cardamom | Small paper or glass cup (dhaba style) | Very Sweet | Ultra-strong, thick tea popularized by dhabas and street stalls, with an intense flavor kick |
| Green Tea (Kahwa) | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa / Northern Areas | Green tea, cinnamon, cardamom, saffron, almonds | Traditional cup without milk | Light / Unsweetened | Fragrant Pashtun green tea infused with spices, served after meals as a digestive |
| Masala Chai | Sindh / Punjab | Black tea, milk, ginger, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon | Ceramic cup | Medium | Spiced milk tea with a blend of whole spices simmered for a warming, aromatic brew |
| Elaichi Chai | Nationwide | Black tea, milk, crushed cardamom pods, sugar | Standard cup or glass | Medium | Simple and elegant cardamom-infused tea, one of the most common everyday flavored teas |
| Sulaimani Tea | Balochistan / Southern Punjab | Black tea, lemon, honey or sugar | Clear glass to show golden color | Lightly Sweet | Light, citrusy black tea without milk — believed to aid digestion, popular in Arab-influenced regions |
| Adrak Chai (Ginger Tea) | Nationwide | Black tea, milk, fresh ginger, sugar | Standard cup | Medium | Soothing ginger-infused tea, especially popular in winter and as a cold/flu remedy |
| Desi Chai | Nationwide | Loose black tea, water, milk, sugar | Standard ceramic cup | Medium to Sweet | The everyday default tea of Pakistan — black tea brewed with water and milk, the baseline chai experience |
| Pathani Chai | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | Green tea, cardamom, milk or without milk | Small cup served with meals | Unsweetened to Light | Pashtun-style simple green or black tea, often served with every meal in Peshawari culture |
| Lipton Special | Urban Pakistan | Lipton Yellow Label tea bags, milk, sugar | Mug or cup (office/home style) | Medium | The default branded tea bag chai — found in nearly every Pakistani office and middle-class home |
| Tapal Danedar | Nationwide | Tapal Danedar loose tea, milk, sugar | Standard cup | Medium to Sweet | Pakistan's best-selling tea brand, known for its strong, full-bodied flavor with rich color |
| Irani Chai | Karachi / Hyderabad | Mawa (khoya), milk, tea leaves, sugar | Glass cup with thick creamy top layer | Sweet | A Karachi specialty with a distinctive layered look — thick creamy milk on top, strong tea below |
| Peshawari Kahwa | Peshawar | Green tea, cinnamon, cardamom, saffron strands | Small ornate cup, no milk | Unsweetened | The traditional Peshawar-style kahwa — pure green tea with spices, served without milk after heavy meals |
| Sindhi Chai | Sindh | Black tea, milk, cardamom, sometimes saffron | Ceramic cup served with breakfast | Medium | A fragrant Sindhi-style tea often paired with traditional Sindhi breakfast of koki and achar |
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