It is a sign of respect: the host tops up the guest's tea in person and never lets the piyola run empty, which shows the guest they are being looked after.
In an Uzbek home, tea is how a guest is welcomed, and the custom has its own order. Green tea (kok-chai) is made by the rules: the bowls are warmed first, the water should be 75–80 °C, the guest is served a little at a time and topped up again as a sign of respect, and the tea comes with dried fruit and navat. This page explains how to serve kok-chai the Uzbek way.
Method
- 1
Bring the water to the boil, then let it cool to 75–80 °C (about 3 minutes off the boil).
- 2
Warm the choynak: pour in a little hot water, swirl it round and pour it out.
- 3
Put 1 tbsp green tea into the choynak.
- 4
Fill a third of the pot with water at 75–80 °C and let it steep for 1 minute so the leaves open.
- 5
Top up the pot with water and steep for 2 minutes.
- 6
Warm each piyola with hot water, then pour the water away.
- 7
Pour tea for the guests in turn, a little at a time, and top up each piyola as it empties. This is how a host shows respect to a guest.
- 8
Do not fill the piyola to the top: half or two-thirds full is enough. A full piyola hints to the guest that it is time to leave.
- 9
On the table, put a bowl with dried apricots, raisins, walnuts, almonds and navat.
- 10
Set Uzbek non beside it and share it out, breaking it by hand.
Cook's tips
- Never pour boiling water on green tea, or it will turn bitter.
- Do not top up the choynak while you are drinking; brew a fresh pot once each guest has had 2–3 piyolas.
- Instead of sugar, the tea comes with navat: people bite off a little as they sip, or drop a piece into the piyola.
- Take your time: Uzbek tea is drunk slowly, over conversation.
FAQ
Kok-chai, the Uzbek tea ritual: common questions
A full piyola hints that the guest is being pushed out and the host would like them to leave. Half or two-thirds full tells the guest they are welcome to stay a long while.
At the very least, navat or honey (instead of sugar). For the full ritual, a bowl of dried apricots, raisins and nuts, and sometimes chak-chak or halva.
Technically yes, but then it is no longer the Uzbek ritual. A piyola is small (150 ml) and shallow, which suits slow tea drinking.
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Get the ingredients at Arkan Bazar
You will find rice, spices, dried fruit, nuts, non flatbread and tea for most of these recipes on our counter at Riga Central Market, Nēģu iela 7, open daily from 09:00 to 17:00.