Tea vs Coffee

[ColinM]

India is fairly divided over consumption of Tea vs Coffee. Tea is predominantly "Chai" and rarely green or black tea; very popular in Northern India.

Great series Anirban.
I can only add one further observation - it's almost unheard of for people in England to put hot milk into their tea. However I found it hard to get anything but this when in Delhi.

My first attempt was at the airport, where they basically made tea using a standard Barista's coffee bar setup. This included pouring a great splash of hot foamed milk into the cup.

Cappuccino tea? Yuk
But good strong chai, with plenty of cardamom & sugar, made by these guys?
Yes I'm happy with that

[MFloyd]

Outstanding street pictures ! I love it.

[Akira]

I can only add one further observation - it's almost unheard of for people in England to put hot milk into their tea.

That's strange!  Here in Japan, the tea with hot milk is called "Royal Milk Tea". 

[Frank Fremerey]

Great series, Anirban. But why do they 'waste' their coffee with milk? 

I hate milk. I love tea and coffee. I love the pictures. I sure do not fancy to drink this milky soup.

[armando_m]

Fantastic series !

I'm a coffee lover

The best I had so far has been in Singapore, followed for what I brew at home with dark roasted coffee from "Chiapas Mexico" using a french press

[ColinM]

Here in Japan, the tea with hot milk is called "Royal Milk Tea".

That sounds like a quote from the film Pulp Fiction (maybe what you'd finish the meal with after you've had a "Chicken Royale'.)
I can even hear John Travolta saying it, and Samuel L Jackson replying "They What???!"

I hate milk. I love tea and coffee. I love the pictures. I sure do not fancy to drink this milky soup.

My picture above was taken in Delhi in December, walking round the town before it had fully woken up. It was chilly and the drink this guy handed me was full of warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, cardamom. As I held it, it warmed my hands. As I sipped it, the warmth spread down into my body and then, into my soul and lifted my spirits.

It wasn't tea as I drink back home (which I want to be lighter and thirst quenching, which I don't think you'd describe either chai or coffee as). And like Frank I now drink mainly green tea & Oolongs. But in the winter, I will still boil up the tea and spices and make chai from time to time.

[ColinM]

One final question for Anirban.
What's the weirdest gear or technique you've ever seen used to make chai?

I think you had a few examples of it being poured from a great height into the cups.
When my daughter lived in India, she settled on a place that made the best tasting chai.....but the guy had no tea strainer so poured the final brew into her cup using what she decided must have been an old sock.

After going back a second time and not suffering any ill effects, she decided it was safe!!!

[Mike G]

When I served in Singapore and Malaysia(1960/70s) the Sikh cha wallah always used condensed milk from tins!

PS I should have said the condensed milk was used in tea!

[ColinM]

....the Sikh cha wallahs always used condensed milk from tins!

I've seen Indian families who now live in Trinidad do the same for coffee.
Guess for people who take sugar, it covers that (plus the 'cream' that some people like in coffee) in one hit.

[Mike G]

Colin, the condensed milk was used in tea!

[RBSinTo]

Good work!
Excellent set of interesting shots that tell stories.
Well done.

[Anirban Halder]

Great series, Anirban. But why do they 'waste' their coffee with milk? 

Thank you John. Indian filter coffee is terribly strong and tastes horrible without milk. I guess that's why the tradition.

Jacques - thanks for the good words and the memoir. I'm so glad that these photos evoked such response. I wish you had some of those photos to share when you travelled India.

Akira - thank a lot. If you don't mind milk with tea i.e. chai, then "Banarasi chai" is the best for you. I had this Kanpur and this is the best chai I have till date.
"Banarsi" means from Varanasi a heritage city in India. Their chai is full of cream, cardamom and other spices something similar to Colin  explained above.

Here's "Banarsi Tea Stall". You see they also have disposable **clay glasses** if you are not worried about dis-washing quality.

#19. First goes cream/milk in the glasses. Then sugar.



#20. Then tea decoction ...



#21. And you "Banarsi Chai" is ready...

[Anirban Halder]

Thank you Robert, Mike, Colin, Armando, MFloyd for the good words. Glad you enjoyed this series.

The best I had so far has been in Singapore, followed for what I brew at home with dark roasted coffee from "Chiapas Mexico" using a french press

Thank you Armando. I will remember to try this when I will visit Singapore (ah, someday).

When I served in Singapore and Malaysia(1960/70s) the Sikh cha wallah always used condensed milk from tins!

PS I should have said the condensed milk was used in tea!

Yes, that's for people who prefer even extra cream.

I hate milk. I love tea and coffee. I love the pictures. I sure do not fancy to drink this milky soup.

I was about to write even before you posted, that you are probably gonna throw up by seeing this photos. 

[Anirban Halder]

My picture above was taken in Delhi in December, walking round the town before it had fully woken up. It was chilly and the drink this guy handed me was full of warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, cardamom. As I held it, it warmed my hands. As I sipped it, the warmth spread down into my body and then, into my soul and lifted my spirits.

It wasn't tea as I drink back home (which I want to be lighter and thirst quenching, which I don't think you'd describe either chai or coffee as). And like Frank I now drink mainly green tea & Oolongs. But in the winter, I will still boil up the tea and spices and make chai from time to time.

That's a good photo Colin.
I had exact same experience in Kanpur at "Banarsi tea stall". Chilly morning and I loved this tea so much that I went back there few more times while visiting Kanpur (a town 6hours from Delhi) for work. I'm so glad you experienced this and how you have explained what "Indian Chai" is, I could never done this better.
Thank you Colin. And yes, I hate those airport tea/coffee as well. They are horrible!!

#22. Crowd outside and inside "Banarsi tea stall" on a chilly morning...
The guy on "rickshaw" send his driver to get the chai..



#23.

[Anirban Halder]

One final question for Anirban.
What's the weirdest gear or technique you've ever seen used to make chai?

I think you had a few examples of it being poured from a great height into the cups.
When my daughter lived in India, she settled on a place that made the best tasting chai.....but the guy had no tea strainer so poured the final brew into her cup using what she decided must have been an old sock.

After going back a second time and not suffering any ill effects, she decided it was safe!!!

Those "socks" looking strainers are very common in west bengal as well. In-fact you can actually buy them. I wish I had a photo of one of those.
Yes, pouring from heights is used for making little bit of foam on top.
Nothing hits me as "weirdest gear" since India in country of "jugaad"! 

#24. Speaking of weirdest, I think these kettles were never ever washed which improved the taste of chai as well.