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HOW TO “COOK” AMRUT TULYA CHAHA



By

VIKRAM KARVE

Pune is a Tea Town.

Yes, when I was a small boy, Pune [or Poona as it was known then] was a “TEATOWN“.

During those days, in Pune, everyone drank tea, except some quirky upaas type aunts who always insisted on sweet milky jaiphal spiced coffee and were “fasting” most of the time on yummy delicacies like Sabudana Khichadi and Wade, Rajgire, waryache tandul, healthy fruits, nourishing milk, calorie-rich pure ghee sweets and similar lip-smacking upasasache padartha.

By the way DALDA, quite popular in those days, made from hydrogenated oils was quite mysteriously “permitted” for upaas as it was considered to be “ghee”.

At home, tea was made in typical Puneri manner as described in my previous article on how to prepare a cup of delicious Tea.



Outside your home, there were chiefly two types of tea for the laidback discerning gourmet Punekar to relish – AMRUT TULYA CHAHA at the ubiquitous Amruttulya Tea Shops at every nook and corner of Pune, and the peerless IRANI CHAI served by the numerous Irani Restaurants all over Pune city and camp like Café Naaz, Lucky, Good Luck, Volga etc. Indeed Amrut tulya Chaha and Irani Chai are an important aspect of the culinary heritage of Pune.

Irani Chai is the most rejuvenating beverage I have ever had. They keep the steaming rich tea brew and hot milk in separate containers and mix it in just the right proportion to get the terrific inimitable gulabi Irani Chai.

Drench in a fresh soft bun-maska, place it on your tongue, and close your eyes – aren’t you in seventh heaven? Even a cup of piping hot Irani Tea by itself is sheer bliss.

Of my favourite Irani Restaurants, Naaz, Lucky and many others have disappeared, and only Good Luck remains.

Amrut Tulya Chaha tea shops too are fast vanishing too like the one nearest to where I lived on Tilak Road in Sadashiv Peth in the 1960′s next to Ashok Bakery which also disappeared a few years ago. Further down the road past SP College towards Maharashtra Mandal there still exist the legendary Ambika and New Ambika Amruttulyas — a friend of mine used to say that the morning tea was superb in one and the evening tea in the other.

It’s really sad. The culture of Pune is fast changing. The youngsters don’t drink tea anymore – it’s infra dig, isn’t it?

The young and the restless prefer Coffee. No, not the peaberry-plantation filter coffee served by the Udipi Restaurants which we used to love, but the expensive stylish international coffees served at posh Baristas, CCDs, and high-falutin coffee shops proliferating rapidly all over Pune.

Just imagine, the other day I couldn’t get a cup of decent tea in a multiplex, but there were plenty of varieties of coffee all around.

Hey, it seems I am rambling away and have gone off on a tangent, so let me not digress from our main topic – The Art of making Amrut Tulya Tea.

Amrut means Nectar, and Tulya means Comparable, so “Amrut Tulya” means “Comparable to Nectar” and indeed, true to its name, Amrut-Tulya Tea is comparable to nectar –  sweet, ambrosial, like the elixir of life!

I loved watching Amrut Tulya Chaha being prepared. Amrut Tulya Tea is not brewed in the traditional Tea service style. The Tea is “cooked” in front of you in a brass vessel and as the vessel ages it becomes “tastier” and tastier with time.

I love the “special” chaha.

Milk and water are boiled together, with plenty of sugar, masala [comprising crushed cardamom, ginger], and tea leaves, stirring continuously to make sure it doesn’t overflow.

Come, my dear Tea Lover, let me tell you how to make Amrut Tulya Chaha – The Art of making Tea – Pune Style.

Assemble the following Ingredients for Two Cups of Amrut Tulya Tea “Special Chaha”.

If you live in Pune, get the famous CTC+OP “Family Mixture” Tea Powder from your favourite “Tea Depot” in the heart of Pune City. Or you may use some good Assam CTC Tea.

By the way, the acronyms are: CTC – Crush, Tear, Curl; OP – Orange Pekoe; BOP – Broken Orange Pekoe.

Full Cream Buffalo Milk [I like Chitale or Sane dairy]

Fresh Water

Sugar

Fresh Ginger Crushed [Better still you can crush the juicy fresh ginger with the chimta directly in the water-milk concoction to let the ginger juices flow out and blend in smoothly]

Cardamom – peel, crush and powder the pods

Before you start, dear reader, here is a note of caution: Please remember that Amrut Tulya Tea is not your traditional Masala Chai so please don’t add any Tea Masalas or spices like clove, cinnamon, black peppercorns or herbs like gavati chaha (lemon grass), tulsi leaves etc. and neither is it the “khada chamach” or “cutting” Chai so please don’t boil away to glory – remember, you must achieve Amrut Tulya Chaha of just the right consistency…!

Now let us start “cooking” amrut tulya tea – we will make two cups, one for you and one for me.

In a brass vessel [or stainless steel, if you can't get a brass vessel] mix one cup of water and one cup of milk.

Add four teaspoons of sugar.

Put on the stove on medium heat.

Squeeze in a bit of fresh crushed ginger and add a pinch of cardamom powder and the freshly crushed peel.

Lightly and lovingly stir the concoction, let it warm, and bring to a boil.

Smartly add two teaspoons of tea powder and keep stirring gently to ensure the boiling concoction does not spill over.

Keep boiling till the tea attains beautiful bright golden-orange colour – the moment you see a reddish tinge, give the heavenly brew a loving last stir, twirl the vessel, and sieve the Amrut Tulya Nectar Tea, your Special Chaha, directly into the cups.

You can drink it from the cup, or better still the saucer sucking and pulling in the yummy liquid with your lips and let it deliciously emulsify on your tongue for that heavenly elevating feeling.

Sip the delicious tea slowly and mindfully, roll it on your tongue, let it mingle in your palate, close your eyes, absorb, discern the flavour, the rich taste, relish every sip lovingly.

Amrut Tulya Chaha is truly lip-smacking tasty and soul-refreshing – blissful ambrosia, an experience of nectar – you can take my word for it.

Now you know why they call this refreshingly delicious and nourishing tea Amrut Tulya “comparable to Nectar” Chaha.

Cheers…!!! Enjoy your cup of special Amrut Tulya Nectar Tea.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2010

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

http://books.sulekha.com/book/appetite-for-a-stroll/default.htm

My Favourite Food and where I eat it…

My “incomplete” and “passé” Value For Money GOOD FOOD GUIDE for Eating Out in Mumbai

By

VIKRAM KARVE

A Trencherman’s incomplete Good Food Guide to eating out in South Mumbai and Pune

I love good food.

And I love walking around searching for good food. So I set off on my frequent ‘food walks’ searching for good food.

Let me share with you, dear fellow foodie, some of my favourite eateries.

Most of them are in South Mumbai, near Churchgate, where I lived for six of the best years of my life, a few (where mentioned) are in Pune which is my home town and where I stay now. Read on.

It’s my very own Vikram Karve’s Value For Money Good Food Guide.

I’ve walked there and eaten there. It’s a totally random compilation. I write as I remember and I may have missed out some of my favourites but I’ll add them on, in subsequent parts, as and when memory jogs me and also keep adding new places I discover during my food walks and trails. Also it’s quite outdated as I enjoyed these food walks in the early years of this decade more than five years ago Dear Reader, do let me know if these delightful places still exist and whether the food they serve is still as lip smacking delicious as it was then. And most importantly, Dear Fellow Foodies, please comment and add your favourite eating joints to this list and also your experiences of the eateries mentioned. Vada Pav – CTO Vada Pav (Ashok Satam’s Stall) alongside the Central Telegraph Office (CTO) at Flora Fountain ( Hutatma Chowk). Or at Sahaydri at Churchgate. In Pune, the ubiquitous Joshi or Rohit or Siddhivinayak Vadewale but their vadas are not as crisp or zesty as Mumbai’s CTO vada. Misal Pav – Vinay Health Home in Girgaum . Walk down Marine Drive, cross the road near Taraporewala Aquarium, take the lane between Kaivalyadhama Yoga Centre and Ladies Hostel ( it’s called Income Tax Lane), cross the railway overbridge, walk straight on Thakurdwar Road, cross Girgaum (JSS) Road, walk a bit and Vinay is to your right. In Pune try Ramnath on Tilak Road or Bedekar in Narayan Peth or the place opposite Garware (MES) College on Karve Road. Kheema Pav – Stadium. Next to Churchgate Station. Kyani at Dhobi Talao. Good Luck near Deccan Gymkhana Pune. Seekh Kebabs – Ayubs (Chotte Mian). Take the lane to the left of Rhythm House Music Store at Kalaghoda and let your nose guide you. Or else head for Bade Mian near Regal or Sarvi at Nagpada. Sadly there seems to be a dearth of authentic value-for-money kabab joints in Pune, unless you want to head for the high-falutin Barbeque Nation in Kalyani Nagar. I remember enjoying Seekh Kababs at a quaint old world eatery called Olympia on East Street located in an old style bungalow which seems to have disappeared and metamorphosed into a multistorey building. Jeera Butter – Ideal Bakery. Kandewadi, Girgaum. And try the sugarcane juice at Rasvanti next door. Chicken Stew ( Kerala Style), Malabar Paratha, Mutton Korma, Fish Curry and Appams – FountainPlaza. In the lane off Handloom House. Fort. [Brings back nostalgic memories of Ceylon Bake House in Ernakulam Kochi (Cochin )] Chicken Biryani – Olympia, on Mumbai’s Colaba Causeway, is my all time favorite. Also the Tandoori Chicken Biryani at Baghdadi and the the exquisite delicately flavoured one at Delhi Darbar and the zesty one at Stadium Churchgate. In Pune it’s Dorabjee & Sons restaurant on Dastur Meher road off Sarbatwala Chowk in Pune Camp or Goodluck in Deccan. I like the Biryani at Blue Nile near GPO and George on East Street too. Mutton Biryani – Shalimar. Bhendi Bazaar. I like the Chicken Chilly and Raan – it’s exquisite, like Karim’s of Delhi. And I love the Tikka Biryani at Noorani. In Pune Tiranga. Dabba Gosht – Delhi Darbar, Grant Road or Colaba, and Noorani Tardeo. In Pune try Sadanand at Baner. Malvani Cuisine – Sachivalaya Gymkhana Canteen. Opposite Mantralaya. Nariman Point. Bombil Fry, Pomfret masala, Kombdi (Chicken) Vada and Lunch Thali. Gomantak Cuisine – Sandeep Gomantak. Bazargate Street. Fort. White Chicken, Dabba Gosht, Chicken Masala and Khaboosh Roti – Baghdadi . Near Regal. Off Colaba Causeway. Nihari – Jaffer Bhai’s Delhi Darbar. Near Metro. Nalli Nihari – Noor Mohammadi . Bhendi Bazaar. Berry Pulao – Brittania . Ballard Estate. Puri Bhaji – Pancham Puriwala. Bazargate street. Opposite CST Station (VT). Kolhapuri Cuisine – I go to ‘Purepur Kolhapur’ at Peru Gate Sadashiv Peth in Pune for authentic Kolhapuri Pandhra Rassa, Tambda Rassa and Kheema vati. In Kolhapur it’s Opal. Gulab Jamun – Kailash Parbat. 1st Pasta Lane. Colaba Causeway. Rasgulla – Bhaishankar Gaurishankar . CP Tank. Khichdi – Khichdi Samrat. VP Road . CP Tank. Vegetarian Thali – Bhagat Tarachand. Mumbadevi. Zaveri Bazar. I like the Bhagat Tarachand on Laxmi road in Pune too. And of course, Samrat, Churchgate, Rajdhani and Golden Star. In Pune it’s the authentic Shreyas on Apte Road and Satara Road, Panchami on Satara Road and Durvankur on Tilak Road. Not to forget my favorite Mayur on East Street and Deccan on Jangli Maharaj Road and Sukanta at Deccan. Navrattan Kurma – Vihar. JT Road . Shanker Jaikishan Chowk. Opp Samrat. Churchgate. Veg Burger and Chicken Cafreal Croissant – Croissants. Churchgate. Or Burger King at the end of East Street in Pune. Tea while browsing books – Cha-Bar. Oxford Bookstore. Churchgate. Just a refreshing cup of Tea, Irani style – Stadium. Churchgate. Goodluck, Pune. Ice Cream – Rustoms, Churchgate and Bachellor’s, Chowpatty (green chilli ice cream). In Pune Ganu Shinde and Kawre on Laxmi Road. Or Gujar Mastani House on Satara Road near City pride for the unique delicious thirst quenching Mastani. Pav Bhaji – Lenin Pav Bhaji Stall. Khau Galli. New Marine Lines. Near SNDT. Sardar, Tardeo. Sukh Sagar , Opera House. Jalebi – Pancharatna Jalebi House . Near Roxy. Opera House. Milk Shakes, Juices and uniquely flavoured ice creams like Green Chilli Ice Cream – Bachellor’s. Opposite Chowpatty. Stuffed Parathas – Samovar. JehangirArtGallery. Chaitanya, opp FergussonCollege, Pune Grilled Meat, Sizzlers and Steaks – ong>Churchill. Colaba Causeway. Sundance, Churchgate. Sassanian, near Metro. Alps, behind Taj,Kobe and Sizzlers - The Place on Moledina Road next to Manney’s in Pune. Sea food – Anant Ashram. Khotachiwadi. Girgaum. And so many places around Fort – Mahesh, Apoorva, Trishna, Fountain Inn, Bharat, Ankur. In Pune Srishti and Nisarg. Non Veg Multi Cuisine – Jimmy Boy near Horniman Circle Apple Pie and Ginger Biscuits – Yazdani Bakery. Cawasji Patel Street. Between PM Road and Veer Nariman Road. Fort. Cakes – Sassanian Boulangerie. 1stMarine Street. Near Metro. Buns, Breads and Pastries – Gaylord Bake Shop. Churchgate. Falooda – Badshah. Crawford Market. Shalimar, Bhendi Bazar and their branch in Pune East Street. Curds – Parsi Dairy. Princess Street. Sandwiches and Rolls– Marz-o-rin. Main Street. MG Road. Pune. Chole Bhature – Monafood. Main Street. Pune. Darshan, Prabhat Road Pune. Shrewsbury Biscuits , Cheese Papri and Choco-Walnut cake– Kayani Bakery. East Street . Pune. Mutton Cutlet Curry, Kheema Pav, Biryani, Tawa Ghosht – Good Luck Pune Veg Cutlet – Swagat Dadar TT Mumbai and Vaishali Fergusson College Road Pune Macaroons – Pasteur Bakery Main Street MG Road Pune Lamingtons, carrot cake, patties, samosas, cakes, soy milk – Spicer Bakery shop, Spicer College, Aundh Road and their outlet off Main Street in Camp Veg Patties - Hindustan Bakery Pune The mere thought of Shrewsbury biscuits and Lamingtons evokes in me a sensation I cannot describe. I am feeling nostalgic and am off to Pune – for Shrewsbury at Kayani, wafers at Budhani, Sev Barfi at Bhavnagri, Amba Barfi and Bakarwadi at Chitale, Mutton Biryani and Dhansak at Dorabjee, Misal at Ramnath, Kachori at Apsara, Sizzlers at The Place, Pandhra Rassa at Purepur Kolhapur, Batata Wada at Joshi Wade Wale, Mango Ice Cream at Ganu Shinde, Mastani at Sujata, Burgers at Burger King, Gujar and Kavare, Bhel at Saras Baug, Canal, Kalyan and Kalpana Bhel,  and on the banks of Khadakvasla lake, Pithla Bhakri, Kanda Bhaji and tak on top of Sinhagarh Fort, Chinese at Kamling. [Oh, No, sadly Kamling has closed down so I'll go across to the end of East Street to the East End Chinese takeaway next to Burger King. And Latif too has metamorphosed into a takeaway]. And guess what? The moment I reach Pune, I’ll walk across the station and enjoy a refreshing Lassi at Shiv Kailas. And then walk down in the hot sun to Main Street. One thing I’ll miss is the non-veg samosas at erstwhile Naaz on the West End corner at the entrance to Main Street. The good old Naaz and Kamling are two places I really miss. Good Luck in Deccan and Blue Nile and George in Camp still go strong and their Biryani is as good as ever. But what’s happened to Sunrise, I wonder? The place is demolished; has the café been relocated? Of course there is Nisarg for Seafood, Mainland China for authentic Chinese, Soul to stir your culinary soul and many lovely places springing up all over Pune. Now I am busy discovering [and rediscovering] interesting eating places in Pune.

When I lived near Aundh, I liked the multi-cuisine Polka Dots at Parihar Chowk for it’s Roasts and Shepherd’s Pie, Chicken Teriyaki, and Puddings, Season’s and Sarjaa for family dining, a few down-to-earth takeaways and Maharashtra Café near Bremen Chowk look promising, Diwadkar for Misal and vada pav, Spicers for Lamingtons and cakes et al, Babumoshai for roshogullas and lavang lata, Shiv Sagar for Pav Bhaji, and the usual Udipi fare, a place called Thomson in Navi Sangviwhich serves non veg Kerala cuisine, Delhi Kitchen which I’m planning to try but did not venture into as it was deserted (crowded ambience and busy rapid turnover are the leitmotif of a good eatery), Diwadkars for Bhel, Vada Pav, Misal and Mann Dairy for a delicious lassi. I food walked in Aundh and was thoroughly disappointed. Of course, there are so many upscale posh places in KP and Kalyani Nagar, and swank all day multi-cuisine cafes like MoMo near the IT Park in Hinjewadi, but then here we are talking about those unique down-to-earth popular eateries which define the place and are frequented by the earthy hungry trencherman rather than the sophisticated connoisseur.

In Aundh I noticed that there are all the usual fast food pizza and burger joints, some high-falutin restaurants and a few nondescript commonplace characterless eateries serving run of the mill stuff; but sadly there are very few authentic value for money down-to-earth no nonsense Spartan eateries around here where I can relish genuine cuisine to my heart’s delight. But that was more than two years ago and things may have changed, hopefully for the better. Now, far far away, in the back of beyond, amidst green hills, lakes and forests, I can only nostalgically reminisce about my “good old foodie days” and relish those sumptuous delicacies in my mind’s eye; and once in a while head for Pune to satisfy my gastronomical cravings.

Dear fellow foodies, please do send in your comments and let us know of your foodie adventures and discoveries so I can keep updating.

Meanwhile I keep exploring Pune for good food and shall soon come out with my very own authentic food guide to eating out in Pune.

After all, the proof of the pudding is in the eating! I eagerly await your comments and recommendations and details of all your favourite eating places and your favourite food and where you eat it and I will certainly explore those foodie joints and include them in my updated revised food guide. Happy Foodwalking…! Happy Eating…! An excerpt from my book APPETITE FOR A STROLL

VIKRAM KARVE