I'm a bit on the challenged side when it comes to making tea in the traditional Indian way. Its an art that is easily learned by most Desis but sadly I'm a total retard with chai. A certain amount of water is boiled, sugar is added but the tea leaves inevitably have me pondering how much is too much or how little is too little which obviously would either ways ruin the tea and then I would sweat and remember what my mommy said to me while I was growing up- When you make a good cup of tea its a miracle.

Yet, she would always ask for a cup of tea and I'd give her some vile stuff to drink and ask in a hopeful voice - Is it good this time Ma?

And she'd twitch a bit and reply - Its good but......

And I'd be told once again- too much milk , or too much sugar or too many tea leaves. Yeah, most of the times it would be - Too Many Leaves!!

I even got the Starbucks concentrate of masala chai. After two days of drinking that vile stuff I didn't make or drink tea for a whole year (yeah beat that Desi brothers and sisters) till my ma came for the delivery of my second child.

Thats when the tea festival began. I had chai four times a day. Ma makes the best chai, its sweet without the feel of it being sweet, smooth and burns the throat when it flows down. I can still see her standing in my kitchen, late afternoon asking - Dee, how about another cup of tea? I know you won't make it once I've gone back to India.

And sure enough apart from that oversweet Star bucks tazo chai I haven't had a decent cup of tea in nearly eight months!!

Chai with pakoras on a foggy, rainy Boston night with my hubby, ma and sisters along with all our noisy brats would be pure heaven. Except no one should expect me to get into the kitchen as I'm challenged in that activity alone.