Mira Manek’s chai book features over 60 recipes and fascinating family stories

That was after writing her second book Prajna: Ayurvedic rituals for happiness, UK-based author Mira Manek recognized the value behind everyday rituals. The important thing was to make the daily tea. “I love chai itself, and especially the spices that are part of coffee, even before I started drinking black tea itself,” Mira says. Her latest book delves into her love for chai and the drink. Family memories connected there. chai book (published by Penguin Random House) will be released on April 29th and features more than 60 recipes interspersed with anecdotes about the history of tea, its health benefits, and Mila’s personal story behind the drink. It is included.

Mira explains how she grew up drinking ukalo, a drink made by brewing milk and spices together and adding sugar. “I never thought about or planned to make chai my own business,” she says of Chai Her By Her Mila, a British brand that also supplies her cafes and restaurants. she says. “And I never thought I’d write a book about chai. But like anything I’ve ever done in my life, it happened quite naturally. And in this book, I’m going to write a book about chai… , sums up my love for India, spices, stories… sums up the love of my grandmother, who grew up with my maternal grandmother in a village in Gujarat.Nani), when her own family and mother were in Mombasa, Kenya, and her memories Nani “I make chai in the morning,” says the author. saffron soula book on Indian vegetarian cooking. .

The book (which she began writing in 2022) introduces readers to a brief history of tea, the ingredients for brewing the perfect cup, and adding spices and herbs to chai. Regional variations of drinks. And a section of dishes using chai. The latter includes dishes such as sweet miso chai porridge, saffron chia muesli, and vanilla chai chia pot. “What I realized when I started writing the book was that the story was the focus and the history was just as important. The research took hours and days,” Mira says. I have visited the archives of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in the UK many times and read a huge number of books. ”

The recipes cover “regional recipes for chai from all over India, spice variations, teas with and without milk, teas made with salt, and many others, but like those made with spices and dissolved.” I also sprinkle my own creations into my “hot chocolate,” says Mila, who enjoys her tea with a homemade spice blend, freshly grated ginger, and sometimes extra cardamom and a little saffron.

Bchai oak It is dedicated to Mila’s grandmother. “There’s a story about an eight-month pilgrimage years later when she returned to India with her grandfather and three boys. It’s about the one trunk they had with them,” she added. Ta. “I also have stories from my own Mahashivratri Mela,” including offering chailas in Junagadh and at the foot of Mount Kailash. ”

Given that this book is dedicated to tea, a section on coffee and snacks is also incorporated into this book. So why not just focus on tea? Mira says that while coffee in India surprisingly predates tea, spices have the oldest history. “So it’s important to mention that coffee is older than tea,” she says, adding that the various snack and tea pairings from around the country are not to be missed. “From fried monsoon pakoras and chai to chai-soaked biscuits…the list is endless. I have also adapted recipes like masala chai cake, spiced overnight oats and saffron biscuits. ”

This book is available on amazon.in