OK, quickie post to extol the virtues of one of the best things in life…Indian chai. OK, so Malaysian teh tarik is actually just as good, and often more frothy. But the spices (even cardamom if you ask and pay a little more), elevate the humble chai to a Masterchef-like sensory experience. At least IMHO..heh.
In India, I’d been there a good 4 days without having had any chai at a street stall. Chai is ok in a restaurant setting…but there aint nothing compares to the chai made by a chai wallah who does nothing else, all day every day, except – make chai. Ya-huh!
And so it was, on our first stop in Rajasthan, that I made my way to a dingy street chaiwallah in Jaipur…and had a very tasty chai indeed. First they boil up the water, milk, tea and sugar in a big pot:
After boiling vigorously (so even the most hygiene conscious person can ease the hell up), the tea is poured from a great height:
From there, the scorching hot tea-in-a-glass is handed to you and you do your best to sip without scalding your lips…and enjoy!!
Ahh….so sustaining, so energising. A long walk up and down the main road was had, with frequent stops in various shops to smell the spices, see the saris, and chat with Indian people. What a great afternoon 🙂
Do you like Indian chai? Or teh tarik? What’s your hot beverage of choice?
Also my favorite hot beverage has to be hot chocolate 🙂 its a classic and it never fails to please!
I have to admit, at home my fave is defo coffee, but when in India, chai just appeals more. On a cold night I do agree, there’s nothing like a hot chocolate to make you feel warm and cosy!
Oh wow! That sounds so delicious! I’ve never had the chance to taste indian chai before, although I am a big fan of milk tea, like the Hong Kong style milk tea (which is said to bear slight similarities to Indian Chai, due to the Indian and English influence on Hong Kong). I really hope to visit India one day so I can try it and talk about it on my blog too! 🙂
Well it certainly is similar in that it’s milky and sweet, although they don’t have bubble tea. What a great name your blog has – The Vagabond’s Tale – love it!