Cha Cha Chai

Its colour, its aroma and even the sight of it growing on sweeping slopes can make the most resolute heart skip a beat! Does tea need any other introduction?

What’s a morning without a steaming hot cup of tea? Incomplete, methinks. In India, chai is a caramel-coloured hot cuppa that is a morning and evening staple and the answer to most common health troubles. While the world is divided into coffee and tea lovers, neither deny that a cup of tea is everything from remedy to refreshment.

TEA FOR TWO

The consumption of tea steadily spread through Europe and the rest of the world during the 16th century. While in countries such as China, Korea and Japan, tea is predominantly consumed for medicinal purposes, in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, life revolves around chai. Interestingly, in Tibet, tea is brewed with salt and butter! The wonder beverage comes in several varieties; some have a cooling yet bitter flavour, while others include sweet, floral, nutty and grassy notes.

THE MAKING OF