No, it’s not “Chai tea” — that’s just redundant. This is probably where we should start. If you’ve been introduced to Chai through the very famous coffee chain that shall remain unnamed, it’s time to consider emptying those cups. Chai, or tea, as it’s defined in Hindi, is so, so much more.
Chai, you see, is all about the masala, or spices — and I don’t mean garam masala or curry powder. Spices for Chai are unique to the region of India where the Chai maker is from, as food writer and restaurant critic Ashok Selvam explained in his piece for “Eater”:
“Each South Asian region and country has a different spin on Chai. Mint is popular in Kashmir while Mumbai Chai has more ginger. Indians may use buffalo milk for richer flavors; Pakistanis may flavor their tea with pistachio. (After all), the masala is what sets the tea apart.”
I know what you’re thinking, “That’s great, but we’re in the middle of Indiana. Where can I get real Chai?” Believe it or not, you can find four Chai places within a 10-mile radius in Indy. Here are the places to bookmark for your next Chai date:
Aahaa Chai | A Cup of Chai | Afternoon Chai | Chai and Kathi Roll Lounge
Aahaa Chai, 5260 E. 65th St. | Facebook | Instagram
“I really like a spicy ginger Chai, bold. But my husband is more of a cardamom guy — to each their own!” Raji Muthukrishnan said with a laugh. She’s a Chai maker from Ambasamudram, a rural hill station in Southern India. We banter in Tamil, our mother tongue, as she regales me with tales of the Chai she grew up with.
The Chai she made for me was studded with the spices of our homes: a striking sukku, or dried ginger, a bright turmeric, transformed rather strangely into what America now calls a “golden latte,” a holy tulsi or Indian basil leaf, often given as prasadam or offering to God in regional temples in India, and brahmi, a medicinal herbal spinach that I’ve only just been introduced to. And, one can’t forget milagu (black pepper) and craambu. Or clove, the South Indian cure to a myriad of medical maladies.
South Indian Chai is often a misunderstood delight. Hidden away amidst cups of the filter coffee that the region is known for, it’s often thinner, and a reflection of the lack of dairy products in that region. For Muthukrishnan, it’s accompanied with regional delicacies like vadas made of ground dhals — both the soft and crunchy kinds — and always all-spiced. In my household, a rusk biscuit is made of twice-baked sweet bread with barely any sugar at all. We serve it in small teacups on the roadside, and it’s perfect during the heavy monsoon rains.
What to get: Start with the lavender vanilla or rose tea before requesting a cup that’s rich with Muthukrishnan’s favorite spices.
A Cup of Chai, 1028 Shelby St. | Facebook | Instagram
When I get to a Cup of Chai in Fountain Square, I see the beautiful maroon calligraphy that adorns the cream-colored building. Owner Pravy Nijjar has yet to arrive, but her staff jumps into action, guiding me through a menu I already feel familiar with. It’s laden with Nijjar’s favorites from home in Jalandhar, Punjab.
“My family’s from there, and I actually was brought up by my grandparents there when I was very young, before rejoining my family in the U.S.,” Nijjar explains. She says it rather fondly, to my surprise, but as she explains her connection with her homeland, all while steaming a cup of her favorite masala-laden Chai, it all starts making sense.
In her cafe, Nijjar wants to recreate her family’s experiences of post-dinner Chai and Parle-G biscuits before bed, or pairing Chai with spiced homemade kati rolls on the khets or farmlands of Punjab. And while she’s aware that most of her customer base isn’t Punjabi or even Indian, she likes teaching her customers that Chai is about more than the drink or the food that goes with it — it’s about building community.
“I want this to become the place I wanted as a strong and proud Punjabi youth growing up, underrepresented in my community. A place for us to socialize, to laugh, to bond,” she said, smiling.
And, don’t even mention stock concentrates or her nose wrinkles. Instead, Nijjar wants her customers to be ready for a spice experience that is rife with her medicinal favorites: saunf (fennel seed), ajwain (carom seed), elaichi (cardamom), and a lot of ginger. Just the way she likes it.
What to get: The rose Chai, paired with a signature kathi roll and housemade masala chips.
Afternoon Chai | Facebook | Instagram
I first met Ruchi Shah three years ago. It was the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and I found it amusingly odd that I was 8,000 miles away in India, chatting on the phone to a Chai-preneur in Indianapolis, of all places.
Three years on, and a lot has changed. Ruchi Shah’s previous Chai supper club, Chai High Tea, is now called Afternoon Chai. At the moment, Shah and her mother have an Etsy store where they sell Chai gift tea sets, tea leaves and her own Chai masala recipes. They also sell at farmers’ markets around Indy.
She still juggles her career as a full-time speech pathologist at St. Vincent Health with her Chai passion, but she’s added another feather to her cap: she’s now a certified tea sommelier through the Tea Association of Canada.
“Now, more than as a purveyor, my focus is on Chai education — teaching classes on the history of Chai, paired with tasting experiences,” she said.
Shah has family roots in Kolkata, Mumbai, Gujarat and Kutch. The Chai, she says, is heavily Gujarati, colored with notes of ginger, fresh mint, lemongrass, cardamom and just a hint of cinnamon. Yet, Shah’s early influences of Kolkata Chai from visits to her grandparents’ home show up through her love of kesar (saffron) Chai and a unique Kashmiri Chai, which are brewed with Assam CTC black tea leaves.
How to try it: Look for Shah at farmer’s markets around Indy, where she sometimes pops up selling Chai and pastry boxes.
Chai and Kathi Roll Lounge, 8407 Castleton Corner Drive | Facebook | Instagram
Originally from Ludhiana, Punjab, chef Happiee Sandhu has been honing his skills in both traditional North Indian breads and sabzis or curries, and snack foods, which you can find at his north Indy establishment.
“Once I moved to the U.S., I knew I wanted my own restaurant here,” he said. Barely six months in, Chai & Kathi Roll Lounge has already nestled its way into the hearts of Hoosiers — and their stomachs too. Yes, there’s a lounge and a pool table, the perfect hangout for young Indians and Indian-Americans looking for a place to kick back. But there is so much more.
Talk to Sandhu about Chai, and he jokes, “you’re bringing me back to my childhood, when my mom made me Chai that I still can’t replicate.” The secret, he says, is not only in the ingredients, but also in the method, the timing, and the process.
If you live downtown, don’t fret: you don’t have to make the journey to Castleton to get a taste of Sandhu’s delicacies. He’s just opened a second “express” location downtown at 1021 N Pennsylvania St., perfect to fuel your day and keep you going.
What to get: Creamy Chai made with full-fat milk or milk alternatives. Pair it with street food favorites like momos, a Tibetan dumpling that is often found on cafe menus in India.
Lavanya Narayanan is a contributing author for Mirror Indy. Contact her at lavanya24narayanan@gmail.com
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