Corona virus has affected this food ritual in 2021. Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TsfXY3CWEo Bring in the rain! Parsi Custom of bringing in rains by an community effort of collecting Rice, Dal and Ghee to make Khichri. Click here for a Aryuvedic Khichri Recipe Click here for Vaghareli Khichri Recipe In Navsari (a small town in the Gujarat […]
The place of Tea in Indian Culture
Indians love tea, they are crazy about it – and they even have a special word for it – chai.
India is one of the largest tea growers in the world. Tea is grown in the north and the south – in exotic places like Munnar in Kerala, Darjeeling, Assam, and Nilgiri Mountains. The tea gardens are a sight to see. Beautiful terraces are carved into the earth and from far they look like manicured gardens. Tea from Darjeeling and Assam is world famous for its aroma and taste.
Tea was introduced in India by the British during early 1900’s, those were early days of the British Raj. Large swaths of land were converted for mass tea-production. Ironically, the British introduced tea in India to break the Chinese monopoly. Tea was originally consumed by the westernized Indians, but it became widely popular over time. Today, looking at the popularity of tea one cannot tell of its origins from China.
But the story of story of tea in India goes beyond the tea gardens in exotic mountains and valleys, covered with mist and lush greenery. Tea is woven intricately into the Indian social fabric.
Chai is the common equalizer in India – from the rich to the poor. No matter what their position in life, an Indian relishes a cup of tea. The rich ones have their tea served in fancy tea-pots, delicate porcelain cups on well laid out tables with cookies and pastries. The not-so-affluent have it in more humble settings. But the joy and satisfaction is the same.
No matter where you go in India, even the remote village, you are likely to find a tea-stall, with a Chai-walla brewing the concoction, squeezing every last flavor. There is always a crowd of eager and tired folks waiting patiently for their chai. Tea re-vitalizes your body. It is a great anti-oxidant.
India has one of the largest railway networks in the world. Every train station has tea-stalls. Hawkers carry tea-buckets doling out hot cups to weary travelers as the trains pull into the train stations. One of my enduring memories growing up in India is traveling on the train in the sleeper-coach and waking up to the lilting calls of the tea-hawkers.
There are many stories of how tea brings people together. When you visit friends – tea and snacks are probably the most common offering. A cup of tea bonds friendships and heals differences. A guest rejecting an offer of a cup of tea may even hurt their feelings. The ultimate bonding is sharing a cup of tea – between two people – albeit in different saucers. When you visit a commercial establishment, as a sign of respect for the customer, tea is offered. Read more in my cookbook for Tea.
Recently, I was invited to speak and present “The Place of Tea in Indian Culture and the Kerala Tea Gardens” at the Boston Athenaeum. Here is a short synopsis. I am delighted that my Cookbooks were displayed and showcased in the museum! Thanks Hannah Weisman! Hannah is the Director of Education at Boston Athenaeum.
The museum is a historical place and encourages historical books. The Boston Athenaeum is steeped in history. Founded in 1807, the Boston Athenæum is one of the oldest and most distinguished independent libraries and cultural institutions in the United States.
Tea / Chai Recipes:
Ginger Tea
Masala Chai
Parsi Chai
Cardamom Tea
Teas of India Cookbook
More on The place of Tea in Indian Culture on ParsiCuisine.com
K. Rustom Ice Cream Menu for your ready reference.
The Britannia Parsi restaurant in Mumbai ParsiCuisine.com Books available on Amazon Manna of the 21st Century: Parsi Cuisine Paperback https://www.amazon.com/dp/1090868391 Hardcover https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0962FML7W Indian Parsi Kitchen https://www.amazon.com/dp/1535410132 Celebrations: Celebrating Zoroastrian Festivals and Traditions https://www.amazon.com/dp/152381845X Dhansak: Parsi Cuisine https://amzn.to/4d92fuv
There are many Irani Bakeries in Mumbai, India. You must have heard of the Kayani Bakery, but have you heard of the Yazdani Bakery? Yazdani Bakery is an Irani cafe or Persian style bakery in Mumbai, India. The bakery was opened in 1953 by Meherwan Zend, an Irani baker. All products in the bakery are handmade, and baked in diesel ovens. The bakery draws […]
In the only place in Ahmedabad where you can get Parsi cuisine outside the home, the last Parsi cook looks back at better days. The kitchen of the Zoroastrian Ladies Cooperative Society (ZLCS), in a busy lane in Khanpur in the walled city of Ahmedabad, is brimming with activity. In a corner of the impeccably […]
FAKE SITE – KAYANI bakery, PUNE has published in the newspapers that they do not sell their products online nor do they have any branches & that someone is either selling fake products or are selling unethically that is without their permission. They’ve also requested public not to buy online
ParsiCuisine.com Books available on Amazon Manna of the 21st Century: Parsi Cuisine Paperback https://www.amazon.com/dp/1090868391 Hardcover https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0962FML7W Indian Parsi Kitchen https://www.amazon.com/dp/1535410132 Celebrations: Celebrating Zoroastrian Festivals and Traditions https://www.amazon.com/dp/152381845X Dhansak: Parsi Cuisine https://amzn.to/4d92fuv
Bahman mahino is the month (June) when some religious parsis do not eat meat. Fish is allowed for a wholesome diet with vegetables. Recipes: Dry Bhindi (Okra) ~ Vaghareli Khichri ~ ParsiCuisine.com Books available on Amazon Manna of the 21st Century: Parsi Cuisine Paperback https://www.amazon.com/dp/1090868391 Hardcover https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0962FML7W Indian Parsi Kitchen https://www.amazon.com/dp/1535410132 Celebrations: Celebrating Zoroastrian Festivals […]
HOW TO PERFECT THE IMPERFECT ART OF IRANIAN RICE TAHDIG by Naz When I first moved out of my childhood home, only a week went by before I found myself craving my mother’s cooking. Specifically, I missed Persian rice with tahdig—the prized golden, crispy crust at the bottom of the rice pot. Rice is the crown jewel […]
‘Granny Sathe Jamwanu’ is a Parsi feast not to be missed. Recipes are linked complements of this ParsiCuisine.com site. Of the five ladies, 93-year-old Perin B Dittia is the eldest. She is dressed in a blue sari, her pearl necklace has blue stones to match her sari and a white-dotted blue hair-band keeps her silky […]
Parsi Food Special | Jimmy Boy | Foodie & The Feast
Congratulations to our member Erik Treasuryvala for his Pav Bhaji Masala and Pav Bhaji recipes. Erik says – Pav Bhaji has its origins in the civil war of America in the 1860s. Read more here… Erik is a member of the Facebook Parsi Cuisine (PC) group and regularly shares his creations with us. I am […]
by Ervad Marzban Hathiram Editor’s Note: Sweet and Crispy Parsi Puri stays for a long time like a month. It is fondly called Tal Papra. Made from sesame seeds (Tal), cardamom and nutmeg powder, and caraway seeds. As I get ready for a very important prayer day tomorrow, here’s an old recipe not very commonly made today.. […]
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