Salt and chilli chai from Tripura and the story brewing online

A recent Instagram reel by @kittyuchil introduced many food lovers to something new: salt and chilli chai said to be inspired by Tripura. The creator thanks her friend, who sent her tea leaves from Tripura and asked her to try the recipe in a Tripura style, calling it “mind-blowing” and “amazingly delicious.” She explains that this style of tea “originated among the state’s indigenous tribal communities” and was a product of heat, humidity, and scarcity of milk and sugar, before social media introduced it to wider audiences.

It is important to be clear: there are no widely recognised published sources or food histories that document a traditional “salt and chilli chai” as an established cultural drink from Tripura. As of now, this recipe and origin narrative appears to come from social media sharing and personal interpretation, not from academic or mainstream reporting.

What can be verified, however, is the role of tea in Tripura and its long history in the region’s economy and culture.

Tea in Tripura: A century-old industry
Tea cultivation in Tripura has a history stretching back more than 100 years. The first tea garden in the state, the Hirachara Tea Estate in Unakoti district, was established in 1916, making Tripura one of India’s older tea-producing regions. Today, the state has dozens of estates and thousands of small growers producing significant quantities of tea.

According to official figures, Tripura has 54 tea estates and a large number of small tea growers, producing tens of millions of kilograms of tea annually. The industry produces CTC tea and other varieties, and there are ongoing efforts to develop brands such as “Tripureshwari Tea” and to increase exports or recognition for tea grown in the state.

Tea culture in northeast India is deep and diverse, and different communities have their own ways of consuming tea. In some parts of Assam, for example, salted tea is known among workers in tea gardens, though its precise origins and widespread traditional status are debated among social historians.

What the Instagram recipe is
The salt and chilli chai shared by @kittyuchil is a simple savoury tea brewed with basic ingredients:

1½ cups water
1 to 1½ teaspoons loose black tea leaves (Assam tea recommended)
1 small green chilli, slit or crushed
½ teaspoon salt, to taste
½ inch ginger, optional, crushed

This results in a tea that is salty, spicy and aromatic, very different from the milky chai familiar in much of India. Whether it is a house-hold invention, a regional preference, or a creative take on nourishment in warm climates, what matters most is that people enjoy it.

Onmanorama has not independently verified the claim that this tea is a traditional drink of Tripura’s tribal communities. The narrative shared in the reel reflects one creator’s understanding and experience. It is exciting to explore new ways of enjoying tea, but it is also important to distinguish between personal recipes and established cultural traditions.

Salt and chilli chai may not yet have a place in tea history books, but it does offer a reminder that tea is a versatile beverage.