Loving Masala Chai

T Mun Yee

I had my first sip of masala chai in India. Specifically, I was exploring the streets of Manali, a bustling stopover town in Himachal Pradesh popular with trekkers on their way to the Himalayas. This group of men were hanging about, directly in my path along the roadside. As I got off the kerb to go around them, I noticed they were waiting outside a doorway.

Just within, a man stood brewing tea at the stove. He poured some of the brew into a small blackened pot, adding milk, a healthy dose of spices and ginger. He allowed the mix to come to a boil, threatening to bubble over but removed from the heat in the nick of time. The air was infused with this heady aroma as the tea was poured through a sieve into a tray of mugs. A young assistant quickly whipped the tray away scuttling to and fro the waiting customers.

I was suddenly hungry and thirsty and in no mind to turn down a mug when it came around to me. Well, when in Rome, do as the Romans. I found myself an empty spot on the kerb and sat down by the dusty roadside to enjoy my chai. A deep warmth enveloped me with the first sip. I was hooked.

The masala chai has since become my comfort drink. My favourite cuppa to raise the spirits on a cold day, a hot day, a rainy day, any day!  

Since I now make my own chai, finding the perfect blend of masala has become a continuing quest. What I have so far is not bad but I haven't been able to replicate my first mug with success yet. I'm thinking I need to take my drink outside and find me a spot to sip chai and go "aaahhh" as I watch the world go by.

 

Note: Photo of my masala blend - cardamom, cloves, star anise, pepper, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg. What did I miss?

Postscript added on 10 Oct 2023: Note: Thank you to those who have written to let me know you enjoy reading my column but daren't take a lesson because there are parts you don't really understand. I assure you we'll always speak at a level which suits you so that we can enjoy a casual conversation. Also, we can go through words and sentences that are difficult so that we learn together. Perhaps, they will be easy then and we'll always have something to talk about. No stress!

This column was published by the author in their personal capacity.
The opinions expressed in this column are the author's own and do not reflect the view of Cafetalk.

Lezione

Customised Lesson

45 min
1,000 punti

Comments (0)

Login to Comment Log in »

from:

in:

Categorie insegnate

Language Fluency

Inglese   Quasi madrelingua
Malay   Quasi madrelingua
Cantonese   Conversazione quotidiana
Cinese   Conversazione quotidiana

Le rubriche di T Mun Yee più lette

  • Inglese

    Loving Masala Chai

    I had my first sip of masala chai in India. Specifically, I was exploring the streets of Manali, a ...

    T Mun Yee

    T Mun Yee

    0
    1624
    Apr 22, 2023
  • Inglese

    Book Rebellion

    Initially, I was thrilled with the task of naming my favourite book. Surely, that would be the tale...

    T Mun Yee

    T Mun Yee

    0
    1607
    Mar 18, 2023
  • Inglese

    Starry, Starry Night

    First, I must confess to being an uncultured dummy as far as art is concerned. I walked into a Vinc...

    T Mun Yee

    T Mun Yee

    0
    1536
    Mar 4, 2023
  • Inglese

    My Urban Garden

    I'm not sure why I like gardening. It's a lot of hard work. But there I am, squatting among the pot...

    T Mun Yee

    T Mun Yee

    0
    1492
    Feb 25, 2023
« Tutte le rubriche

Got a question? Click to Chat