My Tea Experiences from Bratislava to Burma

 by Anu Seth

When I started this blog seven years ago, I wrote, 'There's something magical about tea stories: the minute you hear one, you want to tell one of your own!!' I'm so happy that Anu Seth wrote and shared hers after she read Gumi Malhotra's latest.  Thank you, Anu, and welcome to Indian Chai Stories! Enjoy your read, friends!- Gowri

Four decades of savouring varied flavors of tea in Southeast Asia, including 16 years in Thailand and Myanmar, make me realise the significance of this beverage in my life. My mind goes back to the times I tried each flavor and blend of tea in every new place I moved to.

Tea has always been the refreshing, comforting beverage and each transfer made us search for familiar brands or find close substitutes. The morning cuppa was soothing for frayed nerves in unfamiliar places, during the settling process.

We were initiated into tea drinking only as adults, and we loved the tea our parents drank-a blend of Brooke Bond and Lipton Green Label, brewed in a pot, covered with a tea cozy, poured into warmed cups. Moving to Kolkata changed my preferences since I learnt to visit tea shops that sold loose tea leaves and create my own blend. Equally enjoyable was the tea sold at the Russell Dhaba and Sharma’s opposite the Elgin Road Gurudwara. The kullhad concept appealed immensely and made me feel less of an outsider – a Punjabi in the Bengali heartland.

The first pack of Indicky Caj (Slovak for Indian tea) brought a thrill in Bratislava, Slovakia. This came as tea bags of Assam tea. For the next three years I introduced my friends there, to the rich and varied flavors of Darjeeling, Assam and Kashmiri tea. The International Women’s Club that hosted coffee mornings, endorsed my tea mornings for members.

Nine homes and two decades later, newer tea varieties broadened my horizons in taste and presentation of tea in South-East Asia. Green tea, peppermint and jasmine tea that had seemed like colored water, were now more palatable.

Iced tea with milk was a first for me in Bangkok, where a very strong brew of Thai tea was shaken with milk, evaporated or condensed milk, loads of sugar and ice, to make a tall glass of a pinkish gold beverage, that many find immensely refreshing. It undeniably appeals on a hot sultry sweaty day.

All pix by author

Myanmar of course was different. In 2013, I found international brands of Earl Grey and English Breakfast or Darjeeling tea at cafes in hotels and fancy places like the Acacia Tea Salon. Even more popular were the tea shops – in small non-descript enclosures akin to our nukkad dhaba, under big shady trees, in shanties by the roadside. All of them have free-flowing hot green tea, though laphet yay, the brewed hot milk tea has to be bought, and as in India it is served with samosas, fritters and fries.

Laphet yay is close to our masala chai, boiled to extract every bit out of the local tea leaves, and enriched with milk, condensed or evaporated milk, sugar and even milk powder. Rangoon Tea House is one great place for a Burmese tea experience. Laphet yay is immensely popular as a powdered tea mix also that needs to be mixed with hot water.

Myanmar’s tea shop culture has fascinated us all. It’s a melting pot of people from all strata across class and age-groups. Tea shops are generally crowded but there is no pressure to vacate tables, and discussions can continue or hours. No one is ever in a rush, such is the pace of life in most Burmese cities.

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It is here that I learnt about the life stories of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the ailing, exiled State Counsellor who tried hard to restore democracy and development between 2016-2021, before being re-arrested by the military. Here too, I understood the deep Indian impact on the Burmese towards the end of the twentieth century and how the current senior citizens there, grew up savoring Indian curries and daals, which they still consider to be comfort food. The secrets to make the most delectable khow-suey and Mohinga (both noodle soup dishes) were unravelled to me over endless cups of tea. The stories of the famed Mogok rubies and other gemstones, jade and teak wood fascinated me. 

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My understanding of the history of pagodas of Bagan, the floating farms of Inle, lacquerware and lotus silk, all came from my tea morning discussions with my local friends during the eleven years I spent there. Sadly, Myanmar is once again an almost pariah nation, and nowhere close to what it could have been, had democracy prevailed.

I am happily ensconced in my eighteenth home now and all these memories make me smile each time I sip my cup of tea. 

 Meet the writer:

Anu Seth

Hi everyone. A cup of steaming hot tea first thing in the morning is a delight, and fills my heart with gratitude for life's simple joys. I have been a freelancer for over thirty years, writing for magazines and newspapers, and have been part of the Tata Steel family as a supportive spouse. They say all roads lead you home, and after living in multiple cities, I have moved back to Chandigarh, where my journey began. 

Is this your first visit here? Welcome to Indian Chai Stories! Do you have a chai story of your own to share? Send it to me here, please : indianchaistories@gmail.com. 

My name is Gowri Mohanakrishnan and I'm a tea planter's wife. I started this blog because one of the things that I wouldn't want us to lose in a fast changing world is the tea story - a story always told with great seriousness, no matter how funny - always true (always) - maybe a tall tale, maybe long, short, impossible, scary, funny or exciting but never dull. You will find yourself transported to another world! 

This is the link to all the stories on this blog: https://teastorytellers.blogspot.com/ 
Be sure to add it to your list of favourites! Happy reading!! Cheers to the spirit of Indian tea!

 

Catering Chit!

by Gumi Malhotra

Good Morning, dear readers! A Sunday in January was invariably spent at the club attending a games do. Some people played, some watched, some spent their time catching up with friends, and everyone enjoyed the delicious lunch and tea that the memsaabs served up! Thank you, Gumi Malhotra, for inviting us all to your club today! - Gowri 

Club days provided planters the much needed break to play a round of golf, a few sets of tennis, a swim if you were lucky enough to have a functional pool in the club, and a hearty high tea which culminated in higher spirits at the bar.

There was a roster system in place whereby each member hosted the tea on games day.  If it was a Saturday club night, a garden would give the dinner. During the AGM, a lady catering member was appointed who saw to the equal distribution of duties during the winter club meets. For instance, “ Her husband plays golf, she can do the breakfast for the golfers”!

I came to the gardens without any culinary prowess and once got a catering slip along with a printed recipe for dahi bhallas! A subtle nudge to do the right thing in the right way! I wish I had kept that note, the recipe was good.

Another example of the grace of a lady member was when I made a chocolate pudding that ran out in minutes! Instead of a chide she said, “It was so good Gumi, everyone took three and four helpings”! 

Tea ladies were a supportive force for each other but that extra ‘jhaal’ to the catering conversation did go like this, “ The non veg was given to her and not to me!” ( which might mean less confidence in her  ability), “I’m always given the Kali daal” and the most whispered, “That did not look like 3kg chicken”!

Come Club day and all these mutterings were put aside, the tables were done up with blooms fresh from the garden, bright checked table cloths and laden with the most delicious food. The gracious ladies in their finery and pretty smiles displaying none of the harried hurried moments of backstage kitchen drama!

 Meet the writer: Gumi Malhotra

Gumi Malhotra

Hello chai people, here’s another attempt to pen down one of the million memories I carry with me. We came away twelve years ago with our hearts full ( not so much the pocket) of such nuggets. We live in Bangalore now and what started as a hobby in the gardens has become my calling. I paint pet portraits. The happiest days spent in tea were in the Jali kamra with my paints, the boys occupied with make believe cars and a steady stream of tea flowing from the kitchen. Cheers!

Is this your first visit here? Welcome to Indian Chai Stories! Do you have a chai story of your own to share? Send it to me here, please : indianchaistories@gmail.com. 

My name is Gowri Mohanakrishnan and I'm a tea planter's wife. I started this blog because one of the things that I wouldn't want us to lose in a fast changing world is the tea story - a story always told with great seriousness, no matter how funny - always true (always) - maybe a tall tale, maybe long, short, impossible, scary, funny or exciting but never dull. You will find yourself transported to another world! 

This is the link to all the stories on this blog: https://teastorytellers.blogspot.com/ 
Be sure to add it to your list of favourites! Happy reading!! Cheers to the spirit of Indian tea!