Sunday, October 15, 2006

The Chaiwali loves her Cardamom Spice


Recently mom fulfilled the deepest desire of Skeeter's heart...Ever since Skeeter has started making tea, she wanted to use the pestel to crush cardamoms by placing them on the black granite shelf of the kitchen. But mom insisted Skeeter uses the mortar and the pestel to crush them.
Skeeter has seen people just tearing away the upper covering (green bit) of the cardamom spice and throwing it into the boiling tea. That, Skeeter thinks, is JUST NOT DONE!!! It is just so unfair to the cardamom - the most aromatic spice. Skeeter humbly requests all tea lovers to crush the cardamom spice and release the aroma trapped in the seeds to unleash the mystic flavour that lies within. Not only will it make your tea taste much more flavourful, it would also do justice to the spice.
The mortar and the pestel have a different story altogether. They are Skeeter's most loved tools in the kitchen. No modern day pepper-crushers beat the traditional mortar and pestel. Even chefs like Kylie Kwong swear by them. Skeeter just loves the way in which Kylie seasons the dishes with basic ingredients such as Sichuan pepper and salt (of course ground using the traditional chinese mortar and pestel). Skeeter's personal favourites are those made of wood and marble. If you happen to visit Forest Essentials@ Khan market or Greater Kailash M-block market, you are likely to chance upon the most beautiful mortar and pestel set, Skeeter has ever come across. Ofcourse, it is not for sale. Else, Skeeter would've definitely picked it.
And now a confession: Skeeter want to become a chaiwali. Pouring endless number of frothy cuppas to those who pass by my shack under a tree @ a road in Manali, Leh, Dharamsala and many more places up there in the Himalayas. Ofcourse Skeeter would serve Cardamom tea and only that!!! And yes...This is one business that even the rains or the chilly weather cannot dare to dampen. :P

22 comments:

EYE said...

reminds me off the generous doses of masala chai that i got when I first landed in Ahmedabad. It's just masala marke...

FH said...

Love tea ,cardamom or not!!:)) Love masala chai! Sorry but I have tea bags in US!! It says 'Masala Chai Tea' on the label!:D::D

Okay chaiwali! I have your penalty coming up on Thursday! Don't forget to check it out!Goes well with ur cardamom chai too!:))

Meanwhile , I have ......:))

Reeta Skeeter said...

Blazing: yeah yeah i will...
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Kulpreet: I am hoping to get bk to u on the west delhi thingy by tomorrow...pls bear... Don't try... u "must" crush 'em
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Me: hmm... neva bin to ahd'bad! but i love to taste all varieties of tea
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F.H.: U must b getting tea leaves also dear... look around... tea bags dnt give u a good enuf flavour...Vl wait for tomorrow :) take care
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Happy Blogging all!!

Shruti said...

today the weather in delhi is just wonderful..
while reading it i just remember my morning tea...cardamom spice do create a wonder....
and now im dreaming of having tea in himalayas......wao!!!!

FH said...

We get these exotic green herbal and flavored tea leaves at US stores which I don't like much!I have to drive 20miles to get Indian tea leaves like Darjeeling and red label, I do buy sometimes!!I crush ginger,cardamom etc,boil in milk and little brown sugar!Yummy!

dRoZzY!!! said...

hey skeetz,
the chaiwali thingy soundz cute... apologies for being off for almost a week... have been unwell. life is getting crazier bythe sec... anyways, i really like the chai-chain concept!!!
rock...

FH said...

Happy Diwali even if you don't celebrate!! Have fun in Delhi!!:))

Reeta Skeeter said...

Shruti: Hello!! yeah the weather on thursday was xcellent... and chai in dat weather tastes all the more gooD!
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F.H.:I love red label as well as the green tea leaves by lipton.. YEAH Happy Diwali to u too!!
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Drozzy beta! welcome back to the blogging world...achi si chai pi ke ek dum theek ho jaa!
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CHEERS ALL!!!

sanjay jha said...

nameste
HAPPY DIPAVALI
cheers
jhaji.

Metal said...

Shit man...being a Tea Lover u echo my thoughts to the best possible extent...nothing like having a nice cardamom waali cuppa ona cold Wintry Delhi Morning..

Reeta Skeeter said...

Jhaji: Happy Diwali aapko bhi!
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Abhniav: :)

Nee said...

I LOVED this post!
Need I add that elaichi chai is my favorite too!

Reeta Skeeter said...

Nee: thank you! Elaichi chai is heavenly!!! M going to get one for myself right away!!!

g said...

Hello! Just saw your blog today and is gr8 to meet another delhi-freak like me! I miss everyyyyyyything from delhi.........well, maybe not the eve-teasing!

Anonymous said...

This Chaiwali....seems to know a lot...and just a perfect recipe for a great cuppa to tea....however i wnder ...who else does she loves ...........

Anonymous said...

hey Ms Skeeter...wt ur thoughts on coffee...tastes better..freshly grinded coffee beans...oh what a aroma :-)

Reeta Skeeter said...

g: Aye!! Dilli Rockz!

~ ॐ ~ said...

heheheh...

you are welcome to work with me :)

Satanic Angel said...

i loovee tea especially the ones flavored with cardamom/ginger anything that makes it refreshing. but i just can't get the recipe right!i mean i just cant.neither can ma.something's always missing, yet to figure wat.i have to rely on my dad for my tea coz he makes the best tea in the world :)

Reeta Skeeter said...

Om: :D sure...
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Elusive: :D hmmm nice..

Jayanta K. Mistry said...

Ek Garam Choti Elaichi-wali Chai Ki Piyali Ho...

Free Tea & Intelectual T-Wali!
deadly combo :)

Santosh Namby said...

Awesome, am not much of a tea-drinker, but prefer cardamom whenever possible.....
Santa