Chai Kurdi (Kurdish Tea)

In Kurdish culture, tea isn’t just a drink. It’s how you welcome a guest, close a deal, start a conversation, and end a meal. Chai Kurdi is at the heart of all of it.

This is tea stripped down to its purest form. Strong Indian tea leaves steeped with a whole cinnamon stick in boiling water for five minutes. Nothing more. The cinnamon adds a gentle, woody sweetness that rounds out the tannins without masking them.

Served in small, tulip-shaped glasses with sugar cubes on the side, the ritual is as important as the recipe. You hold the warm glass, let the steam rise, and sip slowly. It’s meant to be savoured, not rushed.

Pro Tips

• Use loose-leaf Indian black tea (like Assam or Ceylon) for the most robust, full-bodied brew
• A single large cinnamon stick gives a more subtle, even infusion than broken pieces
• Steep for exactly 5 minutes. Longer and the tea turns bitter. Shorter and it lacks depth.
• Traditionally, the sugar cube is held between the teeth while sipping, letting the hot tea dissolve it slowly