Butter Tea Recipe

Butter Tea, known locally as Po Cha, is no ordinary cup of tea. Popular across Tibet, Ladakh, Bhutan, and Nepal, this savory beverage blends black tea, yak butter (or regular unsalted butter), and salt into a creamy, nourishing drink that’s deeply rooted in Himalayan culture.

Forget your usual sweet chai — Butter Tea is salty, rich, and energizing. It's built for high-altitude life, but has recently gained global attention for its ketogenic, warming properties and cultural significance.

🕐 Prep & Cooking Time

1. Preparation Time: 5 minutes
2. Cooking Time: 10 minutes
3. Total Time: 15 minutes
4. Serves: 2 cups

🛒 Ingredients

1. 2 cups water
2. 2 tsp loose-leaf black tea (Pu-erh or Darjeeling works well)
3. 2 tbsp unsalted butter (traditionally yak butter, use cow butter as substitute)
4. ¼ to ½ tsp pink salt or regular salt (to taste)
5. ¼ cup milk (optional for creamier texture)
6. Optional: 1 tsp coconut oil (for energy boost, keto version)

🍵 Instructions – How to Make Butter Tea at Home

🔹 Step 1: Brew the Tea

1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan.
2. Add black tea leaves and simmer for 3–5 minutes.
3. Strain the tea to remove leaves and keep the brewed liquid.

🫖 You can steep the tea longer for a stronger base.

🔹 Step 2: Blend with Butter and Salt

1. Pour the hot tea into a blender or use a hand frother.
2. Add butter, salt, and optional milk or coconut oil.
3. Blend for 20–30 seconds until the tea is creamy and frothy.

🔁 Traditional preparation involves a wooden churner called a "dongmo", but a blender works perfectly well.

🔹 Step 3: Serve Hot

1. Pour into cups and enjoy immediately while hot.
2. This tea is often sipped slowly throughout the day.

🎯 Why Drink Butter Tea?

🏔️ Cultural Background

Butter Tea is an everyday staple in Tibetan homes, often served with meals, before prayer, or to guests as a sign of hospitality. In Ladakh, it’s paired with tsampa (roasted barley flour) or consumed during festivals like Losar.

Unlike sweet tea, butter tea is functional — designed to provide calories, fat, and heat in mountainous regions where food is limited and temperatures drop drastically.

🔁 Modern Variations

💬 Final Thoughts

Butter Tea may surprise your taste buds at first, especially if you're used to sugary milk tea. But give it a chance — and you’ll soon appreciate its depth, warmth, and cultural richness.

Perfect for early mornings, meditation routines, or warming up on cold evenings, this ancient beverage has stood the test of time — and for good reason.

📸 Tried Butter Tea?

Tag your frothy cup with #ButterTeaMoments or #HimalayanSip and let the world know you’ve embraced this authentic, ancient tradition.