Chaayos, founded by IIT graduates, offers more than 25 varieties of tea customised in over 12,000 ways. The founders tell Trish Mukherjee that sulemani and aam papad flavours are in demand
Coffee may have been the exotic beverage over the years with several outlets and chains dedicated to it in India and abroad, but our desi chai too is finally fetching some attention. A new chain in the city tells you the unbelievable 12,000 ways of having a tea. Chaayos, which has got two new outlets in the Capital, offers more than 25 varieties of tea.
“People often wonder why would people spend money on a cup of tea, when it is something that they consume on a daily basis back in their homes, but then, aren’t the Indian restaurants jam-packed more than often, so that people could have daal-roti-sabziIJ” said Nitin Saluja, a graduate from IIT Bombay who opened the chain with his partner Raghav Verma (IIT Delhi).
It was in 2010 when Nitin Saluja’s wife was expecting, he quit his corporate job, as his father then said, to become a “chaiwallah.” “I have been a tea lover. I knew its potential,” he said.
The wide range of flavours available for a beverage as ordinary as tea, is rather fascinating, especially those that fall under the Indian menu. The desi chai, as the name suggests, is made with the Indian spices, from tulsi, adrak, elaichi to kali mirch. “Available with 12 add-ons which include basil, ginger, cinnamon, ajwain, mint, clove, cardamom, green chilly, saunf and masala, the desi chai is a rage,” said Raghav.
A careful combination of these spices blended together in a cup of tea, has been named the Sab Kuch Chai which is a speciality. The intermingling aroma of these rich spices, as you take in the first sip, has a rejuvenating effect on your senses.
An interesting and gradual drift from the conventional milk tea has been observed in the recent times. Tea afficionados do not hesitate to experiment with their taste buds. “We have been experimenting every now and then to come up with new flavours in order to provide our customers an array of choices,” said Nitin and added, “Every time people pay a visit, they make it a point to try a new flavour. Sometimes they ask for our recommendations, and sometimes they just go ahead and take the plunge themselves. It is like a cycle that goes on until they settle for the one they love the most.”
With the heat taking a toll this summer, people have been choosing to give the milk in their cups of tea, a miss. Apart from its amazing property of reducing weight, the variety of flavours that it is now available in green tea seems to be ruling the summer beverage market.
The Aam Papad chai has really caught up. “A blissful brew of aam papad with Darjeeling first flush, the flavour is extremely refreshing. It is an absolute delight in this heat,” said Raghav.
Another flavour of chai that is heavily consumed by tea-lovers across the country is the Sulemani chai, popularly known as lemon tea. “It is black tea served with a dash of lemon,” Raghav added. An additional flavour of mint in a cup of Sulemani chai looks like just the perfect combination to beat the heat.
Hailing from the mountains, are the God’s chai, “a heavenly Kangra masala chai,” and Pahadi chai, a Chaayos “version of the Kashmiri Kahwa.”
Although the hari mirch chai is most popular during the monsoons and winters, a lot of people have settled with this flavour as their favourite, and consume it all year long. “It tickles your taste-buds. The spicy tinge is a brain-opener. It is a great drink to have after a long hard day. Also, it has medicinal properties considering it clears your throat,” said Ajeet Kumar Tiwari who, although prefers coffee, never gives his hari mirch chai a miss.
“The recipes like the names suggest, are completely home-made. We are strictly against the usage of any artificial flavours. We get all the flavours of tea brewed in our own outlets,” asserted Nitin.