Friday Musings with a cuppa Masala Tea

Voila. It’s Friday already. I’m so raring to pack my bags and take that coveted break this weekend to a historical 17th century art deco fort tucked away in a nondescript corner of Rajasthan . So naturally I lack the patience to talk about things that I naturally would. As you would have realized, that talking those characteristic  long winded sentences take a lot of soul digging and I’m so unable to concentrate now.

So what shall I talk – or shall I rather tell you things you’d never hear me say?

And those are:

“This is such a glaring red.”

“I have too many books already, I don’t need more”

“I can never spend so much on a Hush Puppy shoe ”

“I’m tired sleeping”

“Parking here is easy, C’mon let me do it for you”

“I’ll pass the book reading session by John Grisham”

“I’ve been craving a Chivas Regal!!”

“Another Fort Holiday- Not again!”

“I cannot tread Anita Nair and her brood again”

“One more cookbook for my birthday, Oh man , sucks.!”

 “Tea again? Shall Pass”

So, okay, not to sound like a librarian and I’m rounding off to books again and again, but I heart ektu cha(Tea) and Books, add to it a historically enriched holiday  and I’m all yours. 

Although there no upper limit to tea consumption, I’m certainly partial to the Darjeeling tea variety.I’m sure you've had a sip of Masala Tea with your favorite book too. If not , this is the time . You’ll thank me after your taste buds explode into the gates of heaven upon craving for more, trust me. (Also trust me not to say random things about what I’d rather not say – but excitement has its own version).

Happy Sipping.

Masala Cha (makes 2 cups)

Ingredients

11/2 cups water
½ cup milk
1 tsp. tea of your choice
1.5 tsp. Masala cha spice Mix*
Boil all the above. Then keep on low heat for 2-3 Minutes.
Strain, add sugar to taste and drink.

Masala Cha Spice Mix*
Makes around ¼ cup (stores well)

Ingredients
3/4 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
3 (1-inch) cinnamon sticks, broken
15 whole cloves
15 green cardamom pods
4 teaspoons ground ginger

Method
1. Grind all the spices in a spice grinder, and grind to a fine powder.
2. Now add the ginger to the above mix and stir well.
3. Store in an airtight container.

Try it. This Masala Chai may sound unusual in a Bong home, but it's so wonderful it could be a stand-in for dessert, and of course a perfect accompaniment to my Friday mood.

Spiced Lemon Tea- and Warm wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving

When I was about six years old I was gifted a Casio, a small musical instrument which could play a myriad of tunes, and appeared no less than a professional one to me at that time. My Casio would play the happy Birthday note perfectly, some of the popular film song notes were also pre-set, and I would just croon to the music. In front of guests it made me think and act like Mariah Carey on stage.

For the next few months I fancied dressing like a pop star. Forced my mother to sew a few flouncy gown like dresses out of her sari and wore those outrageous outfits to all birthday parties. Well at parties I always always insisted that everyone should sing along with my Casio – and the cake should be cut only after I was ready with my Casio to play the birthday tune.

 I pretty much bullied all the guests to listen to me singing to my Casio notes and clap at the end. Perhaps I tried to copy my mother who is a classical singer herself and whose performances always ended with loud clapping’s.  Small desires in my little heart – totally unaware of my out of tune signing .In any case at that time and age I thought it to be pretty impressive.

I’m now so grown up from my crooning with the Casio days but still love to hear it play.  Music runs in my genes, I cannot deny. Too bad, that I have not been blessed with the right talent.

This drink too feels like music, reminds me of my long lost casio. What is common between a music and and spice tea- you ask? Well, the hot spice tea is something which always marked a closure to happy evenings , with classical singing ,food and banter in typical Bengali house parties of yore.It does have some nostalgic memories.

And even if we do not have the tradition of close knit house parties with classical singing – this drink still offers a revision of the classic hot tea transforming it into a mindblowin  mocktail. So right for this season. Be it post-thanksgiving dinner or to share with kids to offer a comforting relief to common cold.This humble drink does it all.

Spiced Lemon Tea

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Darjeeling Tea Leaves
1 Tbsp Honey
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
1” Cinnamon Stick
2-3 Cloves
½ tsp Grated Nutmeg
Lemon wedge for garnish

Preparation:

In a pan heat around three cups of water and add to it all of the whole spices (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg) .Once it reduces to around two cups put off the flame and add the tea leaves. Cover and let it brew for two minutes.

Add lemon and honey and strain immediately.

This should make about two cups of hot spiced lemon tea.

Stir.

Garnish with a lemon wedge.

My way of sending some warm wishes for a lovely Thanksgiving!