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Monthly Archives: February 2020

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Nipun Wisnagalage

The Story of Pink Tea In World’s Largest Tea Importing Nation (Pakistan)

Tea is the most consumed beverage after water. No exception in the world’s largest tea importing nation, Pakistan as well. On cold winter evenings in Lahore’s Lakshmi Chowk, a bustling marketplace well known for street food, tea vendors sell a pink tea beverage known as Kashmiri chai. Here Green tea becomes rosy with the addition of a special ingredient.

Pink Tea has got a savory taste that belies its strawberry-milkshake appearance. The millennial-pink beverage is very famous, as both a drink and a color. In Pakistan, upscale cafes sell this wonderful beverage cheesecake, and “tea pink” is a trendy shade for wedding outfits, men’s shirts, and even lingerie.

Image Credit: Atlas Obscura

Originally a Himalayan drink, pink beverage goes by different names across South Asia, some which reference its unusual color and flavor, from nun chai (salt tea) to gulabi chai (rose-hued tea). Salt and baking soda are key ingredients. Salt acts as an electrolyte to prevent dehydration at high altitudes, and baking soda is the catalyst that turns it pink. Infused with spices such as star anise, Cinnamon, cardamom and topped with crushed nuts, the tea is ideal for cold climatic conditions. In Northern Pakistan, nun chai is drunk piping hot several times a day, accompanied by an array of breads: crispy kulcha, dimpled girda, or bagel-like tsochwor.

Image Credit: Atlas Obscura

Preparation

The first step, a prolonged boiling of green tea leaves with baking soda. Certain fermented teas, when boiled with a pinch of soda, change color from amber to deep maroon. Scientists call that an acid-base reaction, where sodium bicarbonate neutralizes mildly acidic tea, enhancing the color but also taking the edge off its astringent tannins. 

The second step, Once the tea turns burgundy, the liquid is shocked with ice or cold water to preserve the color. When milk is added, the tea turns pink. At this point the boiling liquid is repeatedly poured back into the pot with a ladle and vigorously aerated, a technique similar to frothing milk for coffee. This beverage is traditionally made in a copper samovar.

Read More About Pink Beverage: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/kashmir-pink-tea

View More Latest Tea News + Articles: https://www.teawithnipun.com/

References

  1. Original Post: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/kashmir-pink-tea
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Nipun Wisnagalage
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Meet Ceylon’s Oldest Tea Plucker: Daivani

It’s true that Ceylon Tea hasn’t got a long history as Chinese tea. Tea was first grown commercially in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) by the Scottish planter James Taylor in 1867. Eventually Ceylon Tea became one of the finest tasting teas in the world thanks to her overall, well balanced tasting profile with ideal strength, body, aroma and flavour. During this short history, Asia’s Sweetheart (Sri Lanka) had the honour of having highly skilled plantation workers, specially tea pluckers. They are the unsung heroes who really contributed for the betterment of “Pure Ceylon Tea”. Among them ‘Daivani’ is the oldest and the most senior Ceylon tea plucker (By May 2018) who engaged in tea plucking operation for almost 97 years ! (Might be The Oldest In The World)

Image Credit: Unframed

This veteran lady was born in India on 15th November 1915 (as she vaguely remembers) and sent to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) by the British to work on Ceylon tea plantations. She worked in Spring Valley Estate, Badulla, Uva Tea Growing region and still lives there to this day.

Spring Valley Tea Estate, Badulla, Uva Province, Sri Lanka.
Image Credit: Winner Creative

Daivani said “I was born in a village called “Keeramangalam’’. I left India with my parents at the age of 4. They have since returned. I recall that we stayed in a couple of places for about 2-3 years. After that, we moved from estate to estate.

“ When I was the age of 8, I was registered in the ‘’Koonapalei’’ and sent to harvest tea on the estate with a basket hanging on my back. I could not manage by myself as I was too little, so my elder sisters had to help me. They are the ones who measured the weight of the tea leaves I plucked, before I grew accustomed to it”

But now No Child Labour is Employed at Ceylon Tea Plantations !

Image Credit: Unframed

She added further “Those days if we did not pluck enough leaves, the kangani (Leader of that field) would beat our palm. Still, we would continue to pluck while weeping. Sometimes, we were not even tall enough to pluck the tea leaves, but we had to manage”.

That is how it was in colonial tea plantations. But in modern era, such kind of cruelty is hardly seen & it’s strictly prohibited.

This is another reveal of an unsung Ceylon Tea Hero ! How many international buyers would love to find & visit her ? While recognizing Ceylon Tea legends like James Taylor, Meryll J Fernando (Founder of Dilmah) etc, a fair attention must be given to people at ground level as well.

Read About Best Tea Pluckers in Sri Lanka: https://www.teawithnipun.com/2019/11/16/meet-ceylons-best-tea-pluckers-no-1-2-3/

View More Tea Articles + Latest News: https://www.teawithnipun.com/

References

  1. Original Post: http://unframedsl.org/story-of-daivani-the-oldest-tea-plucker/
  2. More About Ceylon Tea: https://www.pureceylontea.com/