03/02/2026
Today, I was studying Kahwa. This time, I prepared Kahwa using seventeen different ingredients. Most authentic Kahwa available in the general market contains a maximum of eight ingredients. Even the people who sell Kahwa at Dal Lake in Kashmir talk about fourteen ingredients, but if you ask them to show all fourteen ingredients and prepare Kahwa in front of you by mixing them one by one, they won’t be able to. That method is no longer practiced.
Once upon a time—about seventy to eighty years ago—Kahwa in Kashmir was made with twenty ingredients. I plan to prepare that recipe next year. This year, I managed to source only seventeen ingredients of the best quality. Because I refuse to compromise on quality, I didn’t mix the remaining three ingredients sourced from local markets.
There’s a common belief that drinking Kahwa makes the body extremely hot. This is partly true and partly false. It’s not that the moment you drink Kahwa, your body overheats, you start sweating profusely, feel like taking off your clothes, and need to lie down with the AC on. That’s not how it works. The amount of spices in one cup of Kahwa is one-tenth of the spices used in a plate of biryani. I’m not saying this casually. Very soon, Orjaan is launching an authentic premium biryani masala, and I’m saying this from hands-on experience. On paper and in practice, the spices in one cup of Kahwa are exactly one-tenth of what goes into a plate of biryani. Yes, except for green tea, everything else here is technically a spice.
The real secret of Kahwa is not the ingredients, but their proportion. Garam masala and saffron are the soul of Kahwa. But garam masala doesn’t mean just cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. Even well-known brands limit garam masala to these three spices. Just like good cooking depends on how much of which spice you use, Kahwa is no different. The quantity is the real secret.
Speaking of taste—this is the smoothest tea I’ve ever had. That’s purely my personal experience. The only other tea I like is second-flush Darjeeling liquor with two sugar cubes. I don’t enjoy other teas much. I can’t drink tea without sweetness. From this, you can judge whether you’ll trust my taste or not. If you like that combination, you’ll like Kahwa. If you don’t, maybe Kahwa won’t appeal to you either.
Today, three people asked me whether they should drink Kahwa, each mentioning different health issues. I already knew the benefits, but I hadn’t studied the possible negatives in depth. Today, I did—and that’s why I’m writing this late at night.
I found that people with unstable high blood pressure—where it rises today, falls tomorrow, and rises again the day after—should avoid garam masala altogether. For others, Kahwa generally supports heart health. So, those with unstable BP should avoid it.
For people with high creatinine levels, it’s unclear what the kidneys can or cannot process. That’s why their diet is extremely restricted—even water intake is measured, including the water used in tea. So, they should also avoid it.
And pregnant women should avoid it too, because experimenting with food or medicine during pregnancy is legally and medically prohibited. It’s my responsibility to state this caution.
But as I said earlier, biryani contains around ten more spices than Kahwa. So, if you can tolerate biryani in summer without falling sick—if your condition allows biryani—then Kahwa is 100% safe for you. Other than green tea, there’s no spice here that doesn’t go into biryani. Garlic, onion, kewra water, dried plums, and about ten additional spices are extra in biryani—especially since I make biryani masala myself.
Now let’s talk about who Kahwa is good for and why. I trust science more than advertisements. Knowing what you’re consuming is extremely important. Below are our seventeen ingredients and their benefits. The proportion is the secret, so that remains confidential 🍁
1. Green Tea
EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) increases metabolism. It prevents the breakdown of norepinephrine, a hormone that signals fat cells to break down stored fat.
2. Saffron
Our pure Kashmiri saffron contains higher levels of crocin and safranal than saffron from anywhere else in the world—that’s why Kashmiri saffron is the best and the most expensive.
Crocin reduces melanin production, purifies blood, improves skin glow, enhances blood flow to the retina, and prevents macular degeneration. It also balances neurotransmitters and controls mood swings.
Safranal increases serotonin release in the brain, instantly reducing stress.
3. Cinnamon
Cinnamaldehyde behaves like insulin—hence called an insulin mimetic. It reduces insulin resistance, helps glucose enter cells faster, lowers blood sugar levels, and reduces cravings. Excellent for diabetics and pre-diabetics.
4. Star Anise
The shikimic acid used to make the famous anti-viral drug Tamiflu comes naturally from star anise. It inhibits viral replication. During seasonal viral fever, just three to four cups of Kahwa a day—and it’s gone.
5. Cloves
Eugenol is a natural anesthetic and anti-inflammatory. It reduces prostaglandin production, which carries pain signals. Remember how mothers used to place a clove on a toothache? That’s eugenol. It’s deadly for dental and throat infections—singers understand this best.
6. Ginger
Gingerol helps the stomach empty faster, preventing food from fermenting and producing gas. It speeds up digestion.
7. Licorice (Yashtimadhu)
Glycyrrhizin forms a thin mucus layer in the respiratory tract, reducing throat irritation and dry cough, and protecting against pollution. It helps heal stomach ulcers and provides a natural sweetness—so even a sweet-toothed person like me doesn’t crave sugar.
8. Black Cardamom
9. Green Cardamom
Cineole widens lung airways, allowing more oxygen intake and improving lung capacity—one reason Kashmiris can climb steep hills without stopping.
10. Fennel
Anethole relaxes stomach and intestinal muscles, reduces gas, increases saliva secretion, aids digestion, and acts as a natural antacid.
11. Rose Petals
12. Saffron Petals
Geraniol and anthocyanins provide aromatherapy effects, calming the nervous system. They are powerful antioxidants that prevent collagen breakdown, keeping skin firm, youthful, and wrinkle-free.
13. White Pepper
Piperine triggers thermogenesis, slightly increasing internal body temperature and melting fat cells—basically switching on metabolic fire. It also enhances nutrient absorption from other herbs.
14. Mace (Javitri)
Macelignan is a strong antibacterial compound. It eliminates oral bacteria, removes bad breath, strengthens gums, supports memory, works as a brain tonic, and reduces Alzheimer’s risk.
15. Nutmeg
Trimyristin relaxes muscles and nerves, helps with insomnia, works as a natural painkiller, and has zero side effects.
16. Bay Leaf
Linalool reduces stress hormones and improves insulin sensitivity.
17. Lemongrass
Citral is a natural detoxifier. It improves kidney and liver function and helps flush out uric acid and toxins through urine.
What are you thinking—tea or a sack of spices?
Once again, I’m saying: it’s so smooth that you won’t even realize how many spices are in it. Extremely light in taste. If I didn’t tell you, you’d never guess.
Once again—not the ingredients, but the proportion is the secret.
Try it once. Your own taste buds will break all your misconceptions.
