First Chai

Here's the love of my life having his first cup of masala chai at our hotel rooftop restaurant in Mumbai (Arabian Sea backdrop). Masala means mixed spices, and the tea is laced with great tasting things like cardomom and ginger, and finished off with hot creamy milk. I've not had a chai in this country to compare. Martin almost choked on his first sip. It was chocked full of sugar Indian style! They love their sugar, but for one who stopped putting sugar in his tea when the prices went up in the 70's, this chai was a bitter pill to swallow indeed. Still, he perservered and quickly learned to order no sugar. I tried it without the sugar (I don't take sugar either), but honestly, it just isn't right without some sugar. The spices make it too bitter. We took to ordering without sugar and adding as we liked.