What is Tandoori Chai?
It’s just normal masala chai. But with a twist. An earthen cup is placed in a glowing hot tandoor using iron tongs. When the cup is super-hot, it’s taken out and sweet milky chai is poured in, which sizzles and froths over. Then this chai is poured into another kulhad (earthen cup) and served. The process gives it a nice earthy and smoky flavour, making it even more amazing.
Chai La, a tea shop in Pune is where this tea started to become a trend. Travellers from all over the nation, and even abroad, definitely visit this shop whenever they visit Pune. From Pune, the idea seems to have been picked up by chai makers all over the country. Amol Rajdeo, who runs the Chai La tea shop says he was inspired by watching his grandmother place a kulhad of turmeric milk in the corner of a bonfire to heat it.
Tandoori Chai is the perfect example of what innovative ideas can do. It is not easy to craft a new and innovative product, and it’s even more difficult to get people interested in it. But not all products need to be “new and innovative”. Sometimes the simple things can be just as fun and tasty! One can create a new and innovative product by using fresh and original ingredients and maybe putting a twist on an old classic.
Recipe
Having read so much about this wonderful drink, it’s evident one would want to drink it. You cannot go to Chai La, Pune every day. But you can make the chai at your home, you don’t need to visit or look for these places to enjoy this smoky Chai. It’s easy!
Whenever you are in a mood to sip on some Tandoori Tea, especially during the cold rainy days, make it at home using this simple recipe.
Boil a mug of water. Into this, add tea leaves (1-2 tablespoons). Add about 2 tablespoons of sugar. To spice it up, add a few pieces of chopped ginger, one-inch piece of cinnamon stick, ¼ teaspoon of cardamom powder. You can flavour it with some saffron, but this is completely optional. Stir and mix the spices. Now add about 1 ½ cups of milk into the mixture. Boil this nicely. While the tea is boiling, heat up a kulhad (clay/earthen cup) on the flame. Heat the earthen cup on low heat. Make sure it becomes red hot. Keep rotating it with a tong, so that it gets heated up uniformly. Make sure you heat it up from inside as well. When it is hot and changes colour, get it off the flame and place it in an open pan. Now pour the hot tea over it through a sieve. The chai will bubble like a volcano and will ooze out because of the heated kulhad. Tandoori Chai is now ready to be served. Pour the contents of the open pan into a cup (or preferably a kulhad) and enjoy the drink.
You can obviously change the ratio of the items as per your taste!
You can watch this video for the recipe:
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