After the grand Mehrangarh Fort, my second favorite stop in Jodhpur was a small spice shop secretly tucked behind a pharmacy. We had just stopped in to buy some sunscreen, but like many Indian shop owners, Rekha ji pulled us in for chai, as well. However, as we stepped into her backroom, which also doubled as her family's home, we encountered shelves of spice mixes. She pulled one packet off the shelf and told us to take a seat while she taught us to make chai. This is what I learned:
Ingredients
Cardamom (increases energy and improves digestion)
Ginger (cure for cough and cold)
Black Pepper (a good source of sugar-free energy)
Nutmeg (lowers cholesterol and gets rid of pimples (crush with milk and apply to problem areas))
Cloves (painkiller)
Cinnamon (clears sinuses)
Mace (flower of the nutmeg)
Black Tea Leaves (delicious)
To make four cups of chai she measured out four cups of milk, four teaspoons of black tea tea leaves, roughly one teaspoon of spice mix, and four teaspoons of sugar into a small saucepan. She advised bringing the mixture to a boil five times rather than boiling straight for five minutes. Boiling for five minutes straight will kill all the good bacteria in milk so she removed the pan from the heat every five times it came to a boil. She then used a small strainer to pour the mixture into the cups. After enjoying the best chai I've encountered since being in India, we ended up filling our bags with pouches to make everything from chai masala, to tikka masala, rice pudding, and fish curry.
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