Noon Chai (Kashmiri Tea)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons tea leaves 
• 4-5 green cardamoms 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon soda bicarbonate 
• 1 inch cinnamon 
• 1 star anise 
• 2 cups milk 
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 8-10 pistachios 

Method 

1. Heat 2 cups water in a deep non-stick pan and bring to a boil. 
2. Open cardamom pods and add seeds to the pan along with tea leaves, salt, soda bicarbonate, cinnamon and star anise and stir. Bring this to a boil. 
3. Add milk and mix well and bring it to a boil. 
4. Discard tea leaves and spices. 
5. Add sugar and mix well and let the sugar melt. 
6. Strain the tea in a tea kettle. 
7. Finely chop pistachios. 
8. Pour the tea in individual cups, garnish with chopped pistachios and serve hot.