When you think of India, you think of Indian milk tea, Chai! I had Nepalese milk tea (char) 30 years ago when I traveled to Nepal, but this was my first experience with authentic Indian Chai.
First Experience with Authentic Chai
The morning after I arrived in Delhi, I immediately walked around town and found a Chai stall. It was a small shop with a tarpaulin stretched over a wall in an alley, serving as a roof.
They boil tea leaves in a pot, add milk, bring it to a boil with spices, and then strain it into a small paper cup. It costs 10 rupees (about 18 JPY in February 2024). Even though it’s a small cup, 18 yen is incredibly cheap. The strong ginger flavor was so delicious, especially since it was still a bit chilly, it felt warm and comforting. Truly authentic!
After that, I continued exploring the city, and Chai stalls and stands were everywhere. During my stay in Delhi, I drank Chai three times a day: morning Chai, noon Chai, and evening Chai. Still, at 10 rupees a cup, it’s easy on the wallet!
I had heard beforehand that Indian Chai is often served in unglazed clay cups, but for a while, I only saw paper cups. Some places that served larger quantities offered it in glass cups for 15 rupees.
Chai shops also sell biscuits and rusks to go with the tea, usually for about 5 rupees each. It’s delightful to dip them into the Chai, enjoying both the softened and crispy textures. Even with a large 15-rupee Chai and a snack, 20 rupees (36 JPY) is a very appealing price.
Chai shops are ubiquitous, so you can drink it anywhere, but my policy is to choose a shop and stick to it. So, I picked a morning Chai shop, a noon Chai shop, and an evening Chai shop, and frequented them.
When choosing a shop, it’s recommended to pick one that’s busy and thriving. Chai is made by boiling tea leaves in milk in a pot, and popular shops always serve freshly made Chai. I felt that less busy shops might reheat older Chai, which would diminish the flavor.
Also, the people who come to Chai shops are usually men with free time, so sitting down, slowly sipping Chai, and chatting is one of the true pleasures of travel. Chai at tourist spots or proper shops can be a bit more expensive, so I hope you’ll enjoy the atmosphere of drinking Chai at local stalls and street vendors.
I did find the unglazed clay cups I had heard about beforehand if I searched, but they were generally more expensive, around 20 rupees. These cups are disposable, so I initially kept one from the first shop I visited without throwing it away. However, when I later visited Varanasi, where unglazed cups were common, I ended up discarding it.
