India Milk Tea and Pakorra
Chai or milk tea is one of the wonders of India.
Anyone who travels India will not miss this wonderful broth. It is made from boiling tea leaves in milk and water. I hear the best combination is 1 part water and 1 part milk with some sugar to suit your taste.
Chai..ai.. that’s one of the sweetest sounds on any long train ride. All train rides are long. Chaiwallas, yes, them young ‘uns who lug pails of tea, tiny glasses (real glass not plastic) coin pouch and the ubiquitous towel for wiping is that one part of the trainscape of India you will carry home with you.
Train chai is, I must say, cannot be compared to the road side ones. They are bit too sweet and the tea rather thin. No clouds in the tea as they say.
The long wait makes the tea taste better
My favorite this time round is the same chai but with a difference. I call a “special”, cinnamon and a teaspoon scoop of cream. It makes wonders to the tea. Come 4 in the evening, I will begin to fantasize and within the half hour I will have begun walking that dusty stretch to my favorite chai stall. In fact, I think that the North Indian winter and hot chai stands at the top of India’s delight.
Another wonder of Northern India is Pakorra. It is dhal bean paste mixed with onions and deep fried in oil. The best so far is in Biharigal a short hour out of Dehra Dun on the downhill route to New Delhi. My driver , Solu, took me to what he says is the best.
The Picture of Sai Baba is just behind the Boss
It is on the north bound side of the road. The stall owner is a Muslim and I can only suggest you look for the water standpipe and a picture of Sai Baba on the wall. Not much help perhaps but trust your luck. Try the water too. It comes straight off the ground. I don’t really know how deep they sink those pipes but everyone I look at seems hale and hearty.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
No one knows what a son is goin thru..
Cant agree with you more on the tea and the pakoras but make sure you take care of your throat. The pakoras come straight from the boiling oil and onto your make shift table.
ah ley…you are so right there. Nonetheless what is there left in life if one shys away from all the delights. Let Eden be
Care for a cuppa. You’ve got to try the Ras Malai. Failing that you miss sweet India! (I think they invented the word ’sweet’.
Their parents do. Never underestimate them. They’ve crossed more bridges than you, believe me.