Tea ceremonies in Pakistan
A tea plant is featured in the Pakistan State emblem. That shows the importance of tea in Pakistan.
Evening tea is something the Pakistanis treasure. Friends or family will get together and enjoy an evening of delicious milk tea, together with sweet items such as cakes, biscuits or savories like “aloo” (potato) samosas. Tea breaks are a common occurrence at work and the tea drunk by the laborers is generally very strong with a lot of sugar.
Their high tea is fashioned after the British. It is normally experienced at star-class hotels and high-end restaurants. They offer a buffet style menu and tea of several varieties.
Pakistanis use loose leaf tea and very rarely resort to tea bags. Sugar is offered separately, except in small tea shops where you get a tea with milk and sugar included.
The kahwah tea is prepared with green tea leaves, boiled together with cinnamon, saffron or cardamom. Kashmiri roses are added for an enticing aroma, though not always. The kahwah is offered with sugar or alternatively, honey. One type of nuts also accompanies it, generally walnuts or almonds. This is served during celebrations or to guests. Saffron is added only for special guests; milk is added only when it is served to the sick or the elderly.
Tea is a part of iftar, meal taken to break the Ramadan fast.