Masala Tea – A heady start on a cold day
Warm to wrap your palms around and warm when it goes inside your stomach. Nothing can beat the joy of a cold winter morning than a hot cup of Masala Tea – a typical Indian blend of aromatic spices spiked with crushed ginger. A perfect brew to start your day.
Mortar strikes the pestle
And hits the four black peppers
Some are flattened while the crazy among them try to jump out from the rim
Only to fall back again
Where two cloves join them a little later
He pummels again
Till the time the sound he hears is of metal striking against the metal
One green cardamom goes in next
Thud… thud… a regular motion no emotion
A quarter inch ginger meets the blend
Thud… thud… crushed… and it’s done
Stepping backward, he turns around
Searches in the heap of utensils and picks up the saucepan washed last night by his wife
Over the stove it goes
Filled by one and half cup of water, sugar and a spoonful of CTC tea
The last to go in is the spice blend
Once done his face dons a look of satisfaction
Extending his arm he picks up the lighter sets the gas burner on fire and waits for the mixture to bubble with pleasure
As the liqueur comes to a boil it blabbers and the aroma fills the kitchen
Just when the hissing liquid dons a dark face and begins to evaporate
He measures half a cup of milk
Emptying the content inside the rioting bubbling mixture
Leaves them on their own for 5 minutes or so they simmer and blend into each other
When he thinks that the tea is done
Turns the knob clockwise
As the flame goes off, the heavily flavoured mixture calms down while vapours thin out
Using the sieve to pour the strong hot liquid into two half cups of heady masala (spiced) morning stimulant
He carries them in a tray along with a glass of water and nudges his wife to leave the bed.