Indian ‘chai’ a big hit in Dubai
April 4th, 2011 - 4:37 pm ICT by IANSDubai, April 4 (IANS) Tea made in Indian style has become a major attraction among the people of Dubai as ‘karak chai’ (strong tea) stalls have come up in every nook and corner of the region.
Mohamamd Jasem, a UAE national, rolls down his car window in front of the Modern Cafeteria, one of the most popular Indian tea stalls, and shouts in Hindi, “Ek karak chai”.
A waiter carrying a tray with a dozen disposable cups full of “karak chai” rushes towards his car and hands him a cup of piping hot tea. Jasem drops one dirham in his tray and the waiter moves to the next car.
Hundreds of cars stop every day in front of the cafeteria to take a sip of its special “karak chai”, Gulf News reported.
Traffic moves at a snail’s pace on both sides of the road as motorists stop to get their favourite tea. At least two to three young waiters stand on the roadside from early morning till late at night to deliver tea in the cars.
“I have been drinking this ‘karak chai’ for the last five years from the same cafeteria and now I am hooked to this. It seems I am addicted,” says Jasem.
He normally stops in the afternoon on his way back from office to his house.
“It is a very popular drink amongst Emiratis,” he adds.
A waiter told the daily: “We sell around 5,000 cups of ‘karak chai’ on any given day. Apart from Asians, especially Indians and Pakistan, most of our customers are UAE nationals.”
“People come to this place from all over Dubai and even from other Emirates,” said a salesman at the cash counter.
Sultan Ahmad, a Pakistani national, said: “This tea sold here is amazing.”
He said though he has tried to make “karak chai” at home it was never so tasty.
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