Sipping on chai is synonymous with snacks and a ritualised sense of comfort in these changing times. Ahead of International Tea Day tomorrow, chefs share what tea time means to them and nibbles they like with a cuppa
Brun cheese chilli toast
Brun cheese chilli toast
Breach Candy-based home chef Warsha Vimadalal, who runs the masala venture Sondevi, shares that morning tea hour is a rushed affair, and so she enjoys chai time in the evening when her daughter, a doctor, returns from work. “After a whole day in the clinic, she really looks forward to some hot chai and snacks. Our favourite is cheese chilli toast. Everyone has their own style of making it, but we dig the one made at home with brun bread that we get from a local bakery every morning. It’s so kadak that it pairs really well with tea,” she says. Other favourites include home-made nachos, street-style Maggi, poha and leftover theplas or muthias.
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Ingredients
>>1 brun bread
>>100 gm grated cheddar cheese >>3 green chillies (finely chopped) >>50 gm butter
Method
Cut the brun bread into slices of half-inch thickness. Apply butter. Spread some grated cheddar over it generously. Sprinkle some chillies, and microwave these brun bread slices for two minutes. You can serve these crispy cheese chilli toasts with a hot cup of adrak and lemongrass-infused chai.
Banana walnut tea cake
While he can’t do without his morning cup of green tea, what chef Anees Khan, founder of Star Anise Patisserie, really looks forward to is his evening chai time. “During the pandemic, some of us chefs have got the opportunity to come back home early, or sometimes stay home in the evening and grab a cup of masala chai with the family.
Around 5.30-6 pm is tea time for my wife and I, when we chat; it’s a breath of positivity. And it’s always accompanied by some kind of snacks,” he shares, adding it could be piping hot pakodas, samosas, Maggi or a sweet preparation, like banana walnut tea cake. “It’s without sugar since it’s made with jaggery. It’s soft, light and pairs beautifully with tea,” he adds.
Ingredients
>>125 gm butter >>3/4 cup brown sugar/jaggery >>1/2 cup walnuts (chopped) >>3/4 cup maida >>2 eggs (beaten)
>>3 bananas (mashed)
>>1 tsp bicarbonate of soda >>3 tbsp milk
Method
Whip the butter, eggs, brown sugar and banana together till it gets fluffy. Then, tip in milk, maida, a dash of cinnamon powder, bicarbonate soda and mix again. Add chopped walnuts. Bake at 180°C for 35 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Garnish it with chopped walnuts.
Crispy potato latkes with chive sour cream
If work permits, Sarvesh N Karandikar, executive head chef, Cococafe Fort, likes to squeeze in a chai break between 3.30 and 4.30 pm. “It’s usually a 15-minute breather between work, and gives me enough time to mingle with my colleagues,” he adds.
With people staying indoors for over a year now, Karandikar says that he’s noticed how snacks at tea time are also changing, with many trying out tapas-style food and home bakes. In order to avoid biscuits and trans fats, the chef shares, “I prefer munchables, quick fry-ups or easy-to-make finger bites.”
Ingredients
>>2 lbs (900 gm) wafer potatoes
>>1 (110 gm) onion (medium; coarsely grated or thinly sliced) >>6 tbsp all-purpose flour >>2 large eggs >>1/2 cup vegetable oil >>3 gm salt >>2 gm fresh pepper
For the chive sour cream: >>3/4 cup sour cream or plain yoghurt >>1/3 cup mayonnaise >>1 tsp garlic powder >>2 tbsp fresh chives (snipped or chopped) >>A pinch (each) salt and pepper >>1 tbsp lemon juice
Method
Mix together grated potatoes, onions, flour and eggs. Season well with a pinch of salt and pepper. In a skillet, heat ¼ cup of the oil, until it simmers. Drop about half cup (60 gm) of the latke mixture into the skillet and spread it slightly. Repeat to make a couple more latkes. Cook over moderately high heat until they brown on the bottom (about seven minutes). Turn over and cook until the other side browns for about four to five minutes. Transfer to a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. For chive sour cream, mix all the ingredients and combine well. Cover the bowl with a cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes for flavours to infuse. Serve with the hot latkes.
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