Sulaimani

Name: Sulaimani
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 1 servings
Cuisine: Indian (Kerala)
Ingredients: 4 cups (960 ml) water; 2 tsp (6 g) strong black tea leaves (CTC or Assam); 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed; 4 cloves; 1 small cinnamon stick (3 cm); 4 tsp (16 g) sugar or small piece jaggery (to taste); 1 lemon or lime, cut into wedges (for squeezing — 1 tsp per cup); 2 sprigs fresh mint leaves (optional); Sulaimani must be crystal-clear — no milk, no opacity; this distinguishes it from chai.; The lime is added just before drinking, not during brewing — it would make the tea bitter if boiled.; Use a generous hand with the cardamom — it is the dominant flavour.; Very strong tea leaves are needed because the clear liquid needs depth from the leaves, not from milk.

🟢 Veg🌾 Gluten-free📊 Easy

A spiced, clear black tea from the Malabar region — named after the Islamic greeting "Sulaimani" (peace) and associated with Moplah hospitality. Made by brewing strong tea with whole spices (cardamom, clove, cinnamon) and finishing with a squeeze of lime and jaggery or sugar. Sulaimani is served as the breakfast drink at Moplah homes, wedding feasts, and as a digestive after biryani. It is light, aromatic, and deeply refreshing.

⏱️2 minPrep

🔥8 minCook

🕒10 minTotal

🍽️1Serves

🧺 Ingredients

4 cups (960 ml) water
2 tsp (6 g) strong black tea leaves (CTC or Assam)
4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
4 cloves
1 small cinnamon stick (3 cm)
4 tsp (16 g) sugar or small piece jaggery (to taste)
1 lemon or lime, cut into wedges (for squeezing — 1 tsp per cup)
2 sprigs fresh mint leaves (optional)

👩‍🍳 How to make Sulaimani

Bring water to a boil over high heat in a saucepan.
Add cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon.
Boil for 2 minutes over medium-high heat until spices release their fragrance and water is lightly yellow-tinged.
Add tea leaves.
Reduce heat to medium-low.
Simmer for 3–4 minutes until the tea is a deep, clear amber-brown colour with a distinct aroma.
Do not over-brew or it becomes bitter.

📖 Cultural notes

|---|---|---|---|---| | 35 kcal | 0 g | 9 g | 0 g | 0 g | Sulaimani is the signature tea of Kerala's Moplah Muslim community and is inseparable from their hospitality culture. It is served to every guest who enters a Moplah home — refusing it is considered mildly impolite. At Moplah wedding feasts, sulaimani is served after the biriyani, where it is prized for aiding digestion. The tea has gained significant popularity beyond the Muslim community in recent years and is now served at restaurants throughout Kerala. ---

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