Chai (or more specifically, Masala Chai) is the staple liquid of India. A milk-based black tea flavored with cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and lots of sugar, chai is more ubiquitous than coffee, and in my opinion, is far superior in taste. Served by street vendors known as “chai wallahs (a wallah is a person that performs a service – you have your laundry ironed by a “press wallah”, your shoes shined by a “shoe wallah”, etc), you can order a chai in a train, in a food stall, in a museum, in a restaurant, or basically on any corner in all of northern India. Sometimes served in a teapot, other times in a glass, and occasionally in a plastic bag, masala chai will forever be one of my favorite hot drinks.
Personal Chai Teapots
Chai in a glass