IRANI DUM CHAI, RIGHT HERE IN LUCKNOW

You must have heard of Dum Biryani or Dum Aloo, but have you ever heard of Dum Chai? If you haven’t, read on to know about the latest tea fad in Lucknow.

WHAT
Irani Dum Tea, though similar to our humble everyday tea in ingredients, is actually prepared quite differently. First, pure milk, with all its richness is boiled and then left on heat for hours. While the milk is simmering away, the tea is brewed separately in a samovar for an hour or so. The tea itself is a special one, procured all the way from Hyderabad. The land of the Nizams is also home to a number of Irani Cafés, that have popularised this method of tea making.  Once the rang or the tea is prepared, it is then added to the milk and left on dum. 

As the tea simmers continuously, it acquires a beautiful hue and has a natural sweet taste to it. In fact, the concoction is never taken off the stove – the blackened bottom of the pot being a testimony to that fact.

WHERE

The humble tea joint in Lucknow that sells this tea is tucked away in the Hussainabad area and its patrons seem to be growing each day. It also serves two other kinds of tea – Lemon Tea (Black) and Green Tea. With only biscuits and bun-makkhan as accompaniments, the tea joint on its bestseller – the Irani Dum Chai.

Price: Rs. 10 per glass
Timings: 3 p.m. to 12 midnight
Special Ramzan timings: 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. (Iftaar to Suhoor in) 
Location: Outside Chota Imambada Gate, Hussainabad, Lucknow

RECOMMENDED BY
MOHAMMAD RASHID

Entrepreneur by profession. Follows theatre and acting by passion. Foodie by choice!