Not chai, not Suleimani: Why Malabar still swears by Kava

Have you ever tried Kava? It is not your usual black tea or Suleimani. Kava is a charming traveller from North India that made a home on the Malabar coast. In many ways, it is the original version of what people stylishly call green tea today.

Kahwa, or Kava, is a traditional tea consumed in Afghanistan, Pakistan, parts of Central Asia and the Kashmir valley. But in Malabar, especially the coastal regions of Kozhikode, Kava has long been part of everyday food culture so that it not treated like a guest, but like family.

After a plate of dum biryani, a glass of Kava is often the custom. It is believed to ease the heaviness of the meal. Kava brewed in a copper samovar with saffron, almonds and honey easily wins hearts.

Here's a recipe for Kava inspired from Kahwa:

Ingredients
3 cups water
2 cloves
2 cardamom, crushed
1 small piece of cinnamon
4 spoons of tea leaves
¼ spoon saffron
8 almonds, finely chopped
Sugar or honey, as needed

Preparation
Boil the water with cloves, crushed cardamom and cinnamon
Once it comes to a boil, remove from heat and add the tea leaves
Soak the saffron in a little water
Strain the tea and add the soaked saffron along with the chopped almonds
Sweeten with sugar or honey before serving.

The other Kava

That's not all. There is another version of Kava that you need tio know about. In Malabar, especially along the Kozhikode coast, this Kava has long held its own as a warm-weather drink with a strong reputation for comfort and recovery. Served after heavy meals, poured out during gatherings, and valued as a home remedy, Kava sits somewhere between tea and medicine.

The old Malabar-style medicinal Kava recipe:

Ingredients
A pinch each of black pepper, dry ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom (powdered)
3 small shallots
White of 1 egg
1 tablespoon ghee

5 glasses water

Preparation
Boil the powdered spices in water well
Cool slightly and strain
Fry sliced shallots and egg white in ghee
Add this mixture to the strained spiced water and serve warm.

Two drinks, one comfort
Kava carries spice, warmth and a clean finish. One version is rich and restorative, another floral and light. Both prove the same thing: long before fancy wellness drinks arrived, Malabar already had its own.