Ladakhi Butter Tea (Gur Gur Cha)
A salty, buttery tea churned from strong black tea, yak butter and salt, a daily ritual drink across Ladakhi households.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 150 kcal
Equipment
- •Wooden churn (gur gur)
- •Saucepan
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- fat
- 16 g
- carbs
- 1 g
- fibre
- 0 g
- protein
- 1 g
- calories
- 150 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Boil water with black tea leaves and a pinch of baking soda for 15 minutes until dark and strong.
- 2
Strain the tea to remove the leaves.
- 3
Pour the hot tea into a wooden churn or a blender.
- 4
Add butter, salt and milk if using.
- 5
Churn vigorously until the mixture is frothy and completely blended together.
- 6
Pour into cups straight away and serve hot.
Chef's tips
Use good quality unsalted butter and churn thoroughly. If not blended well, the tea turns oily rather than creamy.
Ingredient substitutions
- yak butter → cow or buffalo butter
Storage
Best consumed fresh; does not store well once churned.
Reheating
Reheat gently without boiling to avoid separating the butter.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Not churning enough, which makes the butter separate and float on top.
Serving suggestions
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