Pakistanis and Chaye go hand in hand! May it be scorching heat or chilly winds; there is always a cup of tea in their hands. The per capita consumption of tea in Pakistan is one of the highest in the world with about one kilogram and is continuously increasing due to increase in demand.
The fine art of making chai has been learnt by our Pakhtun brothers. Almost all Pakistani’s will say that they have never had chai like the one they tasted at a Pathan hotel or Dhabba; people swear by their chai they make and how the extra cinnamon makes the experience simply divine.
Here are some of the tips on how to make the perfect tea.
1. In general, store the tea leaves in an airtight container, away from spices or anything with strong aromas
2. Use fresh water. Stale water makes stale tea.
3. If you are heading out to the garden and the tea is going to hang about a bit, heat the cups/mugs too.
4. Use the right ratio of tea leaves in water. Add one teaspoon per person and one for the pot
5. Let the tea infuse for 3-5 minutes.
6. Use milk set in room temperature.
I can safely say we are chai people. The offer of tea is a mark of hospitality and the national slogan for guests is, ‘Chai lenge ya thanda (Do you want tea or a drink?).’ We might not realize the extent to which chai has a role in our lives, but it is only after we sit down to wonder that we would realize just how different and boring life would have been had we been missing a hot cup of chai.
How many cups of chaye do you have daily?
Contributed By: Ramsha Tofique
