Foodie Friday: Chai Time!
Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2024 with our calendar of live events, recommendations, and on-demand content!
Dive into Houston's bustling food scene and the many culinary traditions the Bayou City can boast! In our Foodie Fridays, Asia Society Texas' team shares favorite restaurants, traditions from diverse cultural backgrounds, and more — stay hungry!
Meet Amal Hasan
Amal Hasan has been with Asia Society Texas for five years and serves as as Performing Arts and Culture Programs Manager. A Pakistani American by heritage, she shares a profound passion for Asian culture, history, arts, cuisine, and performances.
Why I'm focusing on chai
Chai is a popular beverage throughout all of South Asia that originates in the early modern Indian subcontinent. Made by brewing black tea in milk, water, and sugar, chai comes in diverse variations, each presenting a distinct medley of tastes and scents and reflecting the nuanced preferences of different regions in South Asia.
Different types of chai include:
- Karak chai: "Karak" translates to "strong," so this chai is boiled with a larger quantity of tea leaves to give it a stronger flavor.
- Adrak chai: "Adrak" translates to "ginger," so this is essentially a ginger chai.
- Elaichi chai: "Elaichi" translates to "cardamom," and this tea is a delightful cardamom chai.
- Kashmiri chai: Also called pink chai, this is from the Kashmir region and combines green tea, water, whole milk, baking soda, and a dash of salt. The bright pink color is achieved by the chemical reaction between the tea and the baking soda, along with a slow brew time.
What I find myself returning to again and again
At Chai Shai, you can find a wonderful assortment of different chais — alongside savory puff pastries and other Pakistani stall foods.
- My favorite chai: The Kashmiri chai is Chai Shai's signature tea, garnished with dry pistachio nuts.
- My favorite go-to snacks: The cream chicken puff (puff pastry with white sauce and chicken) and the veg puff (filled with spices and potatoes).
- Most delicious chai: The kadak chai is brewed slowly with evaporated milk.
- Underrated meal: The halwa puri, which is only available on weekends, is a traditional breakfast of suji halwa (sweetened semolina with dry nuts), chickpea stew, and potato stew served with puris (deep-fried puff bread) and achar (spicy chopped pickled mango, carrot, and green chilli).
Try the chai: Chai Shai Hillcroft
I also enjoy Aga's Restaurant, where I know I'll eat well and have good chai!
- My favorite chai: Masala chai with jaggery blends aromatic spices and black tea, sweetened with jaggery.
- My favorite go-to snack: Beef bihari roll, where beef bihari is wrapped in your preferred fresh bread and served with a choice of garlic mayo or the signature house spicy sauce.
- Underrated drink: The falooda is rose milk with vermicelli, sweet basil seeds, and nuts — and topped with ice cream and Jello!
Try the chai: Aga's Restaurant
Whether you're in Austin or Sugar Land, check out Austin Chai Wala! A chaiwala is someone who sells chai from traditional roadside cafes in South Asia, and Austin Chai Wala is a food truck known for Kashmiri chai, dhood patti chai, and masala chai.
- My favorite chai: The dhood patti chai features steamed milk and ground tea from Pakistan.
- My favorite go-to snacks: The bun kabob (a shami kebab, onions, and chutney in two soft buns), cake rusk (a cake baked twice — delicious to dunk in chai!), and Nutella paratha (traditional Indian flatbread paratha spread with Nutella).
Try the chai: Austin Chai Wala (Sugar Land)
A chai place that excites me
Bengal Café is a hidden gem that serves their chai and coffee in traditional steel cups and bowls. They also specialize in sweets and savory treats.
- My favorite chai: Masala chai (black tea brewed in milk and added spices).
- A must-order: Bengali Café is known for Kumbhakonam Degree Coffee, where the coffee powder is brewed in a special metal device and prepared with fresh milk, dark roasted coffee beans, and chicory.
- My favorite go-to snack: Vegetarian samosa!
Try the chai: Bengal Café
My wildcard recommendation
Pink Brew is a tea company and caterer that brings a beautiful chai cart to serve Kashmiri and regular chai. They can also serve high tea. Consider hiring them to spice up your next party and delight your guests with delicious chai!
Try the chai: Pink Brew
There's more!
Check out the full list of Foodie Friday recommendations:
About APAH Month at Asia Society Texas
Beginning in 2021, Asia Society Texas has celebrated Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with the Houston community and beyond through a curated calendar of events for 31 ways to celebrate over the 31 days of May. Spotlighting the traditions, talents, and contributions of Asians and Asian Americans, the calendar highlights the month's key Asia Society programming, providing a platform to showcase local artists, performers, educators, and leaders who contribute to the vibrant, multicultural tapestry of Houston while also featuring staff recommendations for our favorite music, books, movies, and more by Asian and Asian American creatives.
At Asia Society Texas, APAH Month is an opportunity to celebrate and honor Asians and Asian Americans and to uplift their stories to a broader audience as part of our goal to inspire our larger community to better understand one another through culture, conversation, and connection. For information about sponsoring APAH Month and other projects like this one, please contact Saleena Jafry at [email protected] or 713.496.9939.
Presenting Sponsor of APAH Month at Asia Society Texas
Sponsors of APAH Month
Comcast
Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Media Sponsor
APAH Month 2024 Calendar
Digital Calendar Interactive/Printable PDF
Past APAH Month Calendars
2023: Highlights | Details
2022: Highlights | Details
2021: Details
About Asia Society Texas
Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.
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