When we think about it, chai culture in India has been an essential part of our day. When you’re stopping by someone’s house, there’s an unspoken rule that you’ll stay for some chai. The same is true of the average Indian office-goer: There is always time for chai. 

Recently, we celebrated the monsoon essentials, chai and pakode. Where we looked at all the different kinds of pakode one could have this season. Today, we’re looking at the other half of it – the classic ‘cutting chai,’

Cutting chai is the Mumbai ‘espresso’, it can’t get any more caffeinated than this. Masala chai simmered and ‘cut’ to half its serving size. The name might also refer to another definition of cutting meaning intense and sharp. 

For Mumbaikars, ‘cutting chai’ is far more than just ‘tea’; it can even be considered a rite of passage to becoming a Mumbaikar! Let’s just say that if you instinctively know what a cutting chai is, you’re officially one!

To any average Mumbaikar, cutting chai represents chai that is concentrated, efficient and bold in flavour. Still sweet, spicy, aromatic and milky, and always served scorching-hot, regardless of how hot or humid the city air is. Served in single-walled, clear glasses, or if you’re lucky, little clay pots or kulhars.

Shubhra Chatterji, an award-winning filmmaker notes that the ‘cutting chai’ is rooted in its streetside appeal. “Cutting chai is not something you have at home—you’d never go to someone’s home and ask for cutting chai,” says Chatterji, adding, “cutting chai is a function of urbanisation. Workers who came from smaller towns to [Mumbai] to work in mills, in shops, in factories—cutting chai catered to them.”

Tapris— small shaded tea stalls—offer a space to socialise, smoke, shelter from the rain, and, of course, have a chai. These tiny tea stalls are typically attached to the perimeters of office buildings. Regardless of how busy a worker’s day is, they almost always have time for chai, especially for a chai that’s half the size of a regular cup.

The chaiwallah will have surely ‘brewed’ it for several minutes in a large copper pot, surely almost charred! And then finally served in its signature glass, it’s a moment to pause and connect, with friends and folks!

Finding this drink is easy; it's on almost every street corner, train station, and market. While you can find it at popular spots like Kyani bakery, when this brew is paired with bun-maska, the most authentic experience is often found at the nameless, roadside stall near you that have been serving their signature style for generations. The chaiwallah will then expertly pour the tea from a height, a completely theatrical move that creates a frothy layer on the top and you’re good to go!

We know it’s a drink exclusive to tapris, but if you were to make it at home, as a little experiment, this is how you should go about it.

How to make Mumbai-style cutting chai at home

To recreate this authentic brew, you'll need a few key ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of water
• ¼ to ½ cup of Godrej Jersey Milk
• 2 teaspoons of Assam tea powder or black tea powder
• 2-3 tablespoons of sugar (or to taste)
• 1-inch piece of ginger, grated
• 2-3 green cardamom pods, crushed

Method:

• In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil.
• Add the sugar and grated ginger, simmering for a few minutes.
• Next, add the crushed cardamom and simmer for another minute.
• Stir in the tea powder and boil for 3-4 minutes to achieve a strong brew.
• Pour in the milk and bring the mixture to a final boil before straining it into small glasses.
• Serve the hot cutting chai immediately, ideally with some crunchy snacks.

What are some ways you enjoy cutting chai? Let us know in the comments!