Rajan, when do you drink chai?

Chai is a daily affair in Indian households, almost amounting to a ritual.

The day starts off with a cup of hot chai. Some people prefer to take it before getting up from the bed and want their BED TEA before they do anything. Whether one takes bed tea or not, chai is the first morning drink in an Indian household. After this morning chai is done with, one gets on with the household work or gets ready for going to work. Either way, a cup of chai is again taken when it's time for breakfast.

In offices, those having shops (stores), workers on the job in factories or elsewhere, even those working in government offices and the like, it is a customary practice to drink chai once at around 11 AM and then at about 3.30 PM. Those who are at home, whether they are working or not, have made it a practice of having chai once at about 11 AM and then after their work or afternoon siesta at around 5 PM. Back home from work or otherwise a hot cup of chai is again enjoyed at about 7 PM.



How many cups of chai do you have daily?

On an average, a person consumes about five cups of Chai daily at the minimum.



During the day if one has guests, its time for tea again or if one is visiting friends, one is offered tea.

Do you enjoy any pastries or biscuits with your chai?



Tea at home is normally had with some biscuits. In offices, tea is a standalone affair. While having guests or visiting, along with tea we add a few other snacks like biscuits, sponge cakes, potato patties, parkoa, etc. are offered.

How do you normally prepare chai?

Some people prefer to use tea bags instead by dropping a tea bag or two in a hot cup of water, let it stand for a few minutes before adding sugar and milk. If they so prefer, they make do with black chai prepared this way.



However, chai made and drunk this way is only by a handful of people while the majority go for chai prepared in the way described a little late, below.



Chai is made at roadside tea stalls/vendors and in restaurants all over India. Passers-by, nearby offices, shops and other establishments are their regular customers.



Though everyone has his own way of preparing chai, it is most commonly made in the way given below, especially all over Mumbai. In Mumbai, there is a practice of drinking Cut Chai, which is nothing but tea made the usual way but filled just half in a glass . Since it is not a full glass, it is called cut chai.

Thank you for your contributions Rajan.

As a special treat, Rajan has shared his masala chai recipe below as well as a few variations.