Food & drink
Peshawari qehwa: the cardamom green tea of Qissa Khwani, and how to make it
No milk, no spice box, just green tea, cardamom and a little sugar, poured into small cups in the lanes of Peshawar. Here is how qehwa is made and how it differs from Kashmiri kahwa.
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In the old walled city of Peshawar there is a street named after stories. Qissa Khwani, the Storytellers’ Bazaar, got its name from the tea houses where traders from Central Asia and the Silk Road used to sit in the evening, swapping tales of their journeys over cups of green tea. The tea is called qehwa, and it is still poured there from brass samovars every day.
If you have only had Pakistani chai with milk, qehwa is a very different drink: clear, golden and scented with cardamom. Here is the story and how to make it.
What is qehwa?
Qehwa (also written kahwa, kehwa or kahwah) is a green tea, boiled with green cardamom and usually a little sugar, and served in small cups. In Peshawar it is made with jasmine-scented green tea, according to the usual description, and it is famous at the qehwa khanas, the tea houses of Qissa Khwani Bazaar.
One of those tea houses, in an alley off the bazaar, has been serving it for more than a century, according to a report from Arab News in 2025, still with a pair of brass samovars glowing at the counter. In Ramazan the bazaar fills after sunset, and qehwa is drunk with chapli kebab to open the evening.
Qehwa with milk: sheen do payo
Many Peshawaris also drink qehwa with milk, known as sheen do payo (sometimes spelled sheen da payo). It is made by adding milk to the green tea, and it is a particular favourite in Ramazan. If you are visiting Peshawar and the tea man asks which you want, you now know the two answers.
Peshawari qehwa vs Kashmiri kahwa
The two share a name and a style but are not the same drink.
| Peshawari qehwa | Kashmiri kahwa | |
|---|---|---|
| Flavours | Green cardamom, often jasmine tea | Saffron, cinnamon, cardamom, sometimes ginger, cloves or dried rose petals |
| Sweetener | Sugar | Sugar or honey |
| With milk? | Sometimes, as sheen do payo | Usually served without milk, often with crushed almonds or walnuts |
| Where | Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | Kashmir Valley |
Kahwa is widely believed to have begun in the Kashmir Valley, and the habit of drinking green tea with spices spread across Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia along the old trade routes. Each place made it its own.
How to make it
Recipe
Peshawari qehwa (green tea with cardamom)
You need
- 500 ml water
- 3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 2 teaspoons loose green tea leaves (jasmine green tea is traditional)
- 1–2 teaspoons sugar, to taste (optional)
- Optional: a few crushed almonds to serve
Method
- Bring the water to a boil in a small pot, add the crushed cardamom pods and the sugar, and let it simmer for 2 minutes so the cardamom scents the water.
- Turn the heat to low and add the tea leaves. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes, until the liquid turns pale gold.
- Strain into small cups, leaving the cardamom pods behind or adding one to each cup.
- Serve hot, with crushed almonds on the side if you like.
Do not boil green tea hard or for long. It turns bitter and loses its colour. Gentle heat and a short brew give the clearest, sweetest cup.
The tea houses of Qissa Khwani
The classic way to drink qehwa is in a qehwa khana: a small, plain room with low stools or charpais, a samovar (the heated urn that keeps tea hot all evening) and glass cups that are refilled until you put your hand over the top. Nobody hurries you. The bazaar’s name comes from the storytellers who once held court there, and customers still sit to talk, argue and trade news.
Many of the old tea houses have had a hard few years. Owners told the state news agency APP that security problems and the Covid lockdowns hurt their business, and some have asked for help to keep the tradition alive. If you visit Peshawar, a cup there is one of the simplest ways to support it.
What to serve with qehwa
In Peshawar, qehwa is a drink to sit with, not to rush. Good company for a cup:
- Dry fruit and nuts. Almonds and walnuts, and Pakistani favourites such as chilgoza pine nuts and Hunza apricots.
- Something sweet and dense, like our sohan halwa from Multan.
- Salty snacks, from roasted chickpeas to chapli kebab.
Chilgoza pine nutsچلغوزہ
Long pine nuts, roasted in the shell
Winter’s most prized snack, from the pine forests of the Suleiman mountains.
Hunza apricotsخوبانی
Sun-dried apricots and apricot oil
Sun-dried on rooftops in the valley below Rakaposhi.
Is qehwa healthy?
Green tea does contain caffeine, though less than a cup of strong black tea, and qehwa is often drunk after a heavy meal. Beyond that, be careful with big health claims: most are overstated. It is best thought of as a pleasant, warming drink, and a good alternative to milky tea if you prefer something lighter.
Buying qehwa
Look for loose green tea leaves, ideally jasmine green tea if you want the Peshawari flavour, and whole green cardamom pods that still smell strongly when crushed. Pre-mixed qehwa blends are sold in Pakistani grocers and online, but check the ingredient list, because some contain a lot of sugar or flavouring.
If you prefer your tea hot and milky, follow our doodh patti chai recipe instead. Both are worth knowing.
Questions people ask
Is qehwa the same as kahwa?
They are the same word spelled differently, but the drinks vary by region. Peshawari qehwa is green tea with cardamom, while Kashmiri kahwa also contains saffron, cinnamon and often nuts.
What tea is used for qehwa?
Loose green tea, and in Peshawar jasmine green tea is traditional. Use whole green cardamom pods for the aroma.
Does qehwa have caffeine?
Yes. It is made from green tea leaves, so it contains caffeine, though usually less than a strong cup of black tea.
Can I add milk to qehwa?
Yes. In Peshawar, qehwa with milk is called sheen do payo and is especially popular in Ramazan.
Is qehwa sweetened?
Usually a little sugar is boiled in with it, but you can leave it out. Kashmiri kahwa is often served with sugar or honey.
