The Delicate Art of Tea Making

Am I a loyal tea drinker or a coffee lover… Hmmm, at the risk of sounding risque, I swing both ways! Depends on the Barista or location - when in the north or in a north Indian household, tea is preferred else it’s definitely coffee!

My youngest memories of tea are a little hazy, covered behind cloudy recalls of my parents relishing a cuppa early morning. The same was denied to the young ones, saying its not good for you. The veritable answer to our why, “If you drink tea, you’ll become dark skinned”. So deeply rooted were the colour biases then that we would immediately back off.

Raised in a family dominated by women (our sheer numbers were enough), tea was a quintessential part of the household. There was a tea-pan permanently on the gas stove, the onus of making tea falling on the “eldest, unmarried” daughter of the house! How long could I avoid my fate. Eventually my turn had to come after the two older ones were despatched to their marital homes.

At the tender age of 13, having led a very indulged childhood, I just about knew where the kitchen was, forget cooking anything in it. So, when the older bullies came visiting (Did I forget to mention they made Cinderella’s step-mom seem a saint in comparison?), I was “taught to make tea.” Heat water well, add cardamom generously, toss in milk, tea leaves and boil.

They gossiped while their unpaid slave toiled and boiled tea (and her temper) in the kitchen. Thanks to their bad communication, I boiled practically the whole tea away. Net result: 3 cups of tea reduced to a boiled, bitter half cup of dark concoction which didn’t resemble or taste like any tea they had ever had!! How I was abused but the upside of the incident: it was the last time I ever made tea for them 😊 (though I did pay for it in other forms of bullying ☹. Another story saved for later).

Permanently scarred by my first tea disaster and subsequent failed efforts left me off tea. I think I was super happy when my spouse-to-be said he hated tea and drank only black coffee. I probably heard birds singing, butterflies fluttering, flowers blooming and soft romantic music playing in the background at those words. It just may have tipped the scales in his favour.

Moving to south India, when asked to make tea in my in laws place, I couldn’t find a subtle way of asking if they really wanted to risk it? Ok let the experience talk for itself! I was super shocked when they said, “What fabulous Dilli-style-chai you make!!” Naïve ol’ me didn’t realise that flattery can move mountains or get a permanent tea making bakra in the house! Also, everything in life is relative - the horrendous milky tea dished out in the coffee heartland made mine seem like manna from heaven.  Anyway, living among coffee drinkers was a balm to my tea-tortured soul as I developed a palate for well brewed filter coffee and stayed far away from making tea.

Fast forward a generation… My daughter in law enjoys a good cup of tea n realised the only way she’ll get it is if she learns to make it herself. So here I am folks, typing away in my garden, enjoying the pleasant weather and yes, the most wonderful masala chai made by her.