Irani chai is a unique form of tea unlike any other tea.
Chai (tea) is a feeling altogether and if you are a chai lover like I am, you cannot agree more! Whether it is your morning chai or an evening chai, we cannot do without a chai is all that it is. We love chai and that would be the end of it.
When you know it’s going to be a long day at work or after a long tiring day, if there is one thing that would just pull out the stress then that would be – CHAI!
Indians love chai, there cannot be a day that goes without having a hot cup of tea!. If we are outside and we know it has hit the evening chai time but we still did not manage to get a cup – ohh that stress is on a different level!! We need to have it on time to keep our senses right and to keep us going. I feel you!
Of course now there are many varieties of tea that you can get to choose from – Lemon tea, Green tea, Black tea, Chamomile tea, Ginger tea and many more. But, the comfort that the regular tea provides – Uh oh nothing else could do that justice!
One such tea which is my favorite is the Irani chai!
Irani chai – Just saying that has a feeling in itself.
Why is it called Irani chai?
It is said that, in the last century Persian immigrants came to Mumbai and then migrated from Mumbai to Pune and then to Hyderabad.
Along with them came the beautiful concept of Irani chai!
That is the reason both Mumbai and Hyderabad have good options of Irani cafes and the always popular – Irani chai.
How to make Irani chai at home?
– For two cups of Irani chai
Method one – (with milk powder / condensed milk)
Take 500 ml of water, 2 tbsp of good quality tea powder and add 2 teaspoons of sugar.
Now place a lid over the saucepan as the water gets boiled so that we seal it well enough to not release any steam. Boil it on a medium flame for about 20-25 minutes. As you remove the lid you can smell the strong tea decoction. The water should have reduced to half the quantity by now. Place this aside.
Now take a different bowl and boil 500 ml of full fat milk. You can add a cardamom pod for flavour. Boil the milk on medium flame until it is reduced to half its quantity. Keep stirring the milk so that the milk doesn’t get burnt.
Now add 2 tbsp of condensed milk or milk powder to get that rich creamy texture.
In your tea cup, add the tea decoction and the reduced milk. Mix it all together and there you go – Enjoy your luxurious cup of Irani chai!
Method two – (without milk powder / condensed milk) – Easier and quick version
Boil one cup of full fat milk for 10 minutes. keep stirring the milk so that it does not stick at the bottom. As the milk gets boiled, a layer of cream would form and keep mixing it with the milk.
As we are not using any additional milk powder or substitute in this method, boiling milk along with the cream layer would add the creamy texture to the milk.
Once the milk becomes thicker in consistency and is reduced in quantity to the original amount of milk, close the stove and place this aside.
Take ¾ cup of water, 1 tbsp of good quality tea powder and 1 ½ tbsp of sugar. Boil it for 3-4 minutes.
In your tea cup, add the tea decoction and the reduced milk. You can mix the cream layer with the milk if you like the extra creamy flavor in your chai.
Enjoy your quick cup of Irani chai!
Difference – Chai to Irani chai
In a typical Irani chai, the tea decoction is cooked in pressure. Like how the very famous Hyderabadi dum biryani is cooked in pressure, here the decoction is prepared in pressure and hence is also called as Dum Chai.
Typically the decoction is prepared by putting the water to boil for almost 30 – 40 minutes and by closing the lid so that the steam does not escape. It is prepared in steam just like Biryani is.
Best combination
This Irani chai is best enjoyed with the very famous and special Hyderabadi Osmania biscuits. These biscuits are easily available in Irani cafes of Hyderabad. These biscuits got their name after the last ruler of Hyderabad.
To mark a perfect evening, all you need is a cup of well made Irani chai and osmania biscuits. This unique balance makes it a great feeling!
I hope you guys try this out and enjoy that delightful feeling. If you prepare it the right way, there is no way you would want to get back to having regular chai. Irani chai would take place in the best of the teas in most of your evenings 🙂
Enjoy your cup of creamy and luxurious Irani chai.