How many cups of chai are you averaging a day this winter? We listen and we don’t judge. But might we suggest you expand your varieties? While adrak wali chai (ginger tea) continues to be an undisputed contender, some lesser-known teas deserve the spotlight too.
In fact, if you’re cynical about New Year resolutions, here’s a fun one you (and I — an admitted chai addict), can try: to sample chai from every corner of India this year. As for the varieties to add to your list, we’ve done the homework so you don’t need to.
1. Sulaimani Chai — The pride of Calicut
In India’s Malabar region, nothing spells mehman nawazi (hospitality) better than a cup of sweet-sour and slightly spicy Sulaimani tea. Intrinsically woven into the cultural fabric of the region, the tea makes for a perfect finale after a heavy meal of biryani (rice cooked with meats); its citrusy notes provide the right contrast against the black tea base.
Its origins lie in Arab culture. Prophet Mohammed is said to have indulged in a beverage made with dates and black pepper. The current recipe — flavoured with local spices and tea — explores the intersection of trade and culture when Arabs began trading in Kerala. In fact, Club Sulaimani was Kerala’s first tea chain and an ode to the legacy of the Sulaimani tea.
2. Parsi Choi — An essence of history
The second on our list is the Parsi beverage, the choi, which needs no overt introduction. As Kurush Dalal, a food anthropologist, shares, the drink is a corollary of British influence on the Parsi community, who in order to amp the taste of the usual teas, added in mint and lemongrass.
But a Parsi choi never travels solo. The accompaniment is usually a date and walnut cake, mawa cake, chaapat (a pancake), karkariya (deep-fried banana fritters), or popatjis (sweet doughnuts).
3. Noon Chai — Kashmir in a cup
Come winter, the air in Kashmir is thick with the aroma of a brew. Look into the vessel and you’ll spot noon chai distinguished by its peculiar pink — the result of an alchemical process — rendered by baking soda reacting with the tea leaves.
To get a sense of how noon chai tastes, here’s a little lesson on its etymology. The word noon, in Kashmiri dialect, translates to ‘salt’, the predominant ingredient in the drink. Don’t fret though. The saltiness in the brew is countered by floral notes lent by the rose petals and the overall effect is quite soothing.
4. Berinag Tea — A product of the wild
A well-known aficionado of Berinag tea was the British-Indian architect Laurie Baker. The history of the tea — known for its smooth, mellow taste complemented by subtle floral and fruity notes — is entwined in its namesake region in Uttarakhand.
Berinag in Pithoragarh rose to fame for its tea estates developed during British rule. Unapologetic in its taste, milder than most of its peers, the tea’s imprint stretches across the region of Uttarakhand.
The story goes that the tea — made from the leaves of a wild plant in the region — was a draw in England, which inspired billionaire philanthropist and tea entrepreneur Thakur Dan Singh Bist to purchase the Berinag Tea estate from Kedar Dutt Pant. From the late 1900s till his death in 1964, Thakur Dan Singh Bisht played a role in Berinag becoming a tea estate with burgeoning demand in the global markets.
5. Lebu Cha — What Bengal is drinking
The common denominator of happiness in Bengali households. Lebu means lemon and cha means tea in Bangla, referring to the hero ingredients in this freshly brewed, lemon-flavoured drink.
While every household has its time-tested recipe, the most common technique is to steep the tea leaves in water and then add moshla (a masala made from a blend of black salt, pepper, ginger powder, and a few other trade-secret masalas). No milk is added.
Tea time at any Bengali household witnesses families bonding over a strong cup of Lebu Cha paired with snacks like ghughni (iconic Bengali snack made with chickpeas), aloo kabli (popular Bengali street food made with boiled potatoes, tomatoes, green chillies, and spices), and chicken pakoras (fried snacks).
6. Ronga Saah Tea — Assam’s pride
Well, well, we couldn’t make a list about chai and not mention its alma mater, Assam, could we? The region is home to numerous tea varieties, both indigenous and non-native, but an unequivocal favourite is Ronga Saah. Reddish-brown in colour, the tea is devoid of any spices and milk, with a mild, soothing flavour.
An interesting story prequels the discovery of the tea in Assam, which earlier was presumed to be a China-specific variety.
Somewhere around 1823, Scottish explorer Robert Bruce who had visited Assam during his trading business activities, discovered that the plant he intended to send to the botanical garden was of the same tea plants that were grown in China.
This led to the establishment of the first tea estate in Assam in 1839, which cultivated various types of tea plants, including the Ronga Saah tea leaves.
7. Ek Cutting Chai ho jaye?
Being a Mumbaikar, you’ll understand my bias. The Cutting Chai is more than what it touts itself to be — a ‘half-serving’ of tea (the term ‘cutting’ translates to ‘half’ in Hindi) which is affordable. Its perky flavour, which makes it such a cult favourite, owes to a concentrated brewing process.
The chai essays many roles: it’s an antidote to a bad day, a quick fix for a breakup, the perfect ice breaker, a companion for stormy weather, and the obvious answer to ‘How to spend a quick five-minute break in the office?’
My city and I have been in awe of the Cutting Chai and its characteristic magnetism. And here’s hoping for a year that is filled with a lot of it.
Looks like I’ve finally made a New Year resolution I intend to keep!
Sources
Opinion | The ritual of Parsi ‘choi’ by Aravinda Anantharaman, Published on 25 September 2020.
Edited by Pranita Bhat
No comments:
Post a Comment