Other than their signature food like Dhansak and Patra ni Machhi, Parsis are known for their tea rituals. Did you know that lemongrass chai, or tea, was a Parsi thing? Although most people say ‘chai’ for tea, Parsis say ‘choi‘.
Parsis say they adopted the British tea custom when the Britishers were ruling over India. But they didn’t like the idea of just brewing plain tea in a pot. So, they enhanced their tea’s flavor by throwing in lemongrass and spearmint.
Kurush Dalal, a Parsi food anthropologist (someone who studies food habits of different cultures over the years), says teatime in a Parsi home is equal to teatime at the Buckingham Palace, London. Wow! How cool is that! It involves a teapot made of bone china, tea cakes, bhakras (Parsi cookies), chaapatis (pancakes), popatjis (baby pancakes), and sandwiches. Moreover, stylish napkins are placed on the table for decor – they’re not to be used!