masala chai

Dishoom, p. 86–343

There are many varieties of chai. The kind we make at Dishoom is the sort of spicy, sweet chai you will find at Bombay’s innumerable tapris (street stalls), normally poured with great dexterity and skill from arm’s length into a small, stout glass. The powerful concoction of milk, sugar and caffeine is what keeps the city running. Were the tea supply suddenly to dry up, it’s entirely possible that Bombay would simply grind to a halt. (It was rumoured in Bombay in the 1890s that Iranis were putting opium in their chai, such was its addictive nature. There was a fearsome activist called Sooderbai Powar, who agitated greatly against this alleged practice. Of course, the Iranis were far too astute to sell opium at the price of chai.) Chai is also a staple of all Indian homes. It reminds Shamil of leisurely Sunday mornings with family. His father and grandfather used to love their chai. His aunt makes it with a few leaves of mint and a little lemongrass, which is how Parsis tend to brew it. Feel free to experiment, of course. (By the way, chai simply means “tea”. For this reason you must never say “chai tea”.)