Dressing Up - Chai Tea

s3518418
May 7, 2014
3 min read

Love.

Oh my God! I’ve been so busy running around organizing every gritty detail for this evening that I’ve forgotten about the most important part… what to wear. I guess something traditional and colourful, like they do in the movies or casual and western. Oh.. what will he wear. With western culture becoming more obvious in our society, I wonder what his type of girl would be. Indian and traditional or Western and chic??? What to do...

I’ll get my sister to do my hair and help me to pin it back away from my face. It’s grown so long over the summer and it’s getting harder to maintain by the day. I should really get it cut, but not today. My mother gave me her jhumkas to wear which once belonged to her mum. They are beautiful gold hooped earrings with a lovely pattern engraved on the outer side. They’ll look perfect on me I’m sure. So, traditional it is! Matched with my pink and orange suit, straight out of mum’s boutique, I think my choice is made.

What will we talk about... I’m sure he’s nervous and thinking of the same things. I heard he likes cricket which is always a safe bet and the usual getting to know you 20 questions everyone asks each other. I’ll throw in some casual flirting mixed with warm smiles - only when I’m sure that stupid brother of mine isn’t eavesdropping. That should be enough to woo him over; but I really want this to work out. I want my family to be happy and I don’t want to fail them; I couldn’t imagine anything worse. I wonder if he has dreams to travel and see the world like I do... because there’s still so much of India that I haven’t seen yet. Hopefully he’s the adventurous type anyway. I will have to remember to ask him.

I heard he’s studying computer science and working at a software development company. Yes, my family has done their research. His job is the decision maker anyway. I also want to know what he thinks of my dreams to open my own restaurant as well. I don’t want to be stuck at home, bored all my life.

But as much as I’m torn by all the possibilities life has to offer, love is essentially what us Indian girls crave and now I find myself in a position where I have to come up with a dish that’s going to ‘seal the deal’ and ‘tick all the boxes’. Oh, how I love western buzzwords and catchphrases. Yes, I’ll have him eating out of my hand and begging for more. I can see it now. But first I need to decide on what I’m going to make him. It needs to be something that will A: get him talking and B: signifies romance and love, and what better way to do that than with Chai? It should turn the heat up. The perfect combination with my chaat for the perfect romantic encounter.

Basically, it’s all about the ingredients. For the chai I will add cardamom, otherwise known as ilayachi in Hindi. It’s considered to be the ‘queen of spice’ because of its exotic flavour. It’s a well known mood elevator and the third most expensive spice in the world; as old as India itself.

Anyway enough rambling, here is an easy step by step recipe guide for you to make for that special someone in your life.

Chai Tea