Chai Making Wisdom from a Chaiwala (Tea Vendor)
India is predominantly a tea-drinking nation, and also the second-largest tea producer in the world. The popular hot beverage Chai is part of the country’s urban and rural landscape. It is common to see people from all walks of life, and all strata of society, stand side-by-side at roadside tea stalls. Whether in the sweltering heat of an Indian summer or braving the chilly bite of winters, people take great comfort in a cuppa chai made by their trusty Chaiwala (tea vendor).
The Irreplaceable Indian Spiced Tea ‘Chai’ Holds a Special Place for all Indians
For this blog post, I requested my mum and sisters (thanks, ladies!) to interview our neighborhood Chaiwala (tea vendor) on the bustling streets of Mumbai to better understand the inner workings of putting this popular street beverage together.
Of course, getting a chaiwala to spill his family secrets is no easy task but if anyone can do it, it’s my mum. Here are some good-to-read facts from her chaiwala interview!
Chaiwalas prefer to make their tea in a brass or aluminum vessel.
It’s best to boil the milk and water with whole spices before you add loose tea and ground spices to it.
The tea liquid needs to reach a boiling point after each set of ingredients and it’s boiled at least twice in one tea-making process.
Chaiwalas prefer to use whole crushed spices instead of the popular chai masala found in most Indian homes.
The tea is strained using a cheesecloth or muslin cloth to ensure ground spices don’t go through like they do with a regular tea strainer.
At chai stalls, tea is generally served in a tea glass, not a teacup.
A chaiwala knows the tea is done when the right color has been achieved. I feel this is true for all of us tea-drinkers across the world - we know our tea is done when “the color is just right”.
Vanilla Cardamom Chai Latte
In recent times, chai has exploded on the global beverage scene. One of the well-known western-countries versions of this beverage comes as Chai Latte, a melange of the French latte which is milkier, with a sweetened adaptation of the Indian chai brew.
I’m thrilled that this beautiful beverage from my native country has taken its rightful place on the global scene, whether it is sold as Chai Latte in coffee shops or as a pre-brewed mix in cartons at grocery stores.
Join one of my live cooking classes to learn how to make authentic chai along with me. Now onto the recipe, enjoy this cuppa chai!
