Garam Chai Restaurant

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Allen Yerke

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Aug 5, 2024, 2:45:51 AM8/5/24

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Areyou are searching the net for a cup of homemade Indian tea in New York, a Gurudwara in Hawaii or a Bharatnatyam dancer in California? Wherever in the United States, anything Indian is located at Garamchai.com, the top Desi Yellow Pages for Indian business, Indo-American commercial and personal listings in North Amerrica. Marketers of Indian goods and services, even mainstream businesses, are realizing the strength of Asian Indians as voracious consumers.

This is especially true when we look at the latest Census 2000, which estimates the Indian Diaspora to number 1.7 million. Indians form a part of the higher echelons of the socio-economic spectrum in the US, earning an average of $69,000 versus a national average of $49000 per annum. Most families settled here also have close ties with folks back home in the Old Country.

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated on 9 January every year to mark the contribution of Overseas Indian community in the development of India. January 9 was chosen as the day to celebrate this occasion since it was on this day in 1915 that Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest Pravasi, returned to India from South Africa, led India's freedom struggle and changed the lives of Indians forever.

With over 60 percent of Indian Americans holding a college degree and the majority in the workforce, marketers are starting to drool over the potential of this ethnic segment. We aim to provide everything Indians living in the United States may need to maintain their lifestyle outside of India. This site is a complete resource listing of 400 temples, 500 restaurants, 500 bazaars and online shops. Other listings include jewelers, wedding specialists, theaters, beauty salons, Mosques and Gurudwaras. To view a complete index of our offerings tailored to the needs of Asians, Indians, NRIs Pakistanis, Sri Lankan and other South Asians and others in the US, Canada and North America. A number of business and media streams are already successful in targeting this market segment:

In a much applauded move Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government decided to "kill" the 500 and 1000 rupee notes. Some of the notes in circulation were supposedly fake and some of it used to fuel the underground economy (a.k.a "black money" )

"Brothers and sisters, to rid this country of the termite-like corruption and black money, it has become essential to take one more tough step. Starting midnight tonight, that is, on the midnight of November 8, 2016, the current currency notes of denominations of rupees 500 and rupees 1,000, will no longer remain legal tender. These currencies will become legally invalid."

NRIs and visitors to India probably have some 500 and 1000 rupee notes left over from previous trips are probably wondering what to do with the notes. Key facts and practical tips are featured on the special section "FAQ on 500 rupee for NRIs" on GaramChai.com (link)

Power Yogi: How Baba Ramdev became India's swadeshi FMCG baron (India Today, July 2016):

"The sun is about to set behind the forests on the outskirts of Haridwar. The downpour of the previous night has made it a relatively pleasant summer evening. The silence in one of India's most guarded ashrams - CRPF personnel frisk you every time you enter the premises - is punctuated by the sound of a fountain in the middle of the manicured lawn, and of a swing in the verandah of an M-shaped cottage. In the saffron hues of dusk, a saffron-clad yogi is sitting on the swing. His eyes are closed, as if meditating to find the answer to the simplest, most obvious, and somehow the trickiest question posed to him: why is a self-proclaimed renunciate selling shampoo, toothpaste, detergent and anti-ageing cream?

When he opens his eyes, the lopsided smile and the mischievous glint in the eyes are gone. "When I went to the Himalayas in my youth, I saw many sadhus who had given up the materialistic life. But what were they doing? Nothing for the welfare of mankind. That cannot be the purpose of life. In India, it's believed that sadhus can't do anything; they are supposed to live on donations. It hurt me. The real goal of a sadhu is not to attain moksha for himself but to serve the masses. My business is not for profit but to spread wellness," says Baba Ramdev, 48, India's most celebrated yoga guru, who is riding high on a heady, hitherto untasted cocktail of yoga, satsang, ayurveda, business and politics.

Ramdev stands out from all other gurus on the Indian social spectrum not just because of the size of his burgeoning FMCG empire - worth Rs 5,000 crore at last count - but also because he wears his political inclinations on his sleeve. He purportedly has a direct line to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and is close to several members of the Cabinet and a number of chief ministers across the land. He was one of the key figures of the Lokpal movement in 2011, was received at the airport by then finance minister Pranab Mukherjee as the UPA government tried to broker a deal with its leader Anna Hazare, and cut a comical figure when he was taken into custody at the Ramlila grounds in Delhi while trying to escape dressed in a salwar kameez. He is an advocate of replacing the tax system with a single transaction tax. He kickstarted the black money drive that became one of the key campaign promises of the BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. And he now stands as a major support booster for the Modi-led NDA government. When he isn't slamming those who returned government awards in protest of alleged intolerance, he is threatening to chop off the head of anyone who refuses to chant 'Bharat mata ki jai'. From drug abuse in Punjab to the spiritual health of the relationship between a husband and wife, and from the purported horrors of homosexuality (which he can help "cure") to the importance of buying desi, the guru's discourses encompass a vast universe."

Though websites like Sulekha, Search India and others attract advertisers by providing listings, events, chat and discussions, Garamchai.com aims to be the most extensive information directory with a simple but elegant user interface. GaramChai.com is a complete resource listing of hundreds of temples, restaurants online shops, grocers and bazaars. Other listings include jewelers, wedding specialists, theaters, beauty salons, mehndi services, places of worship including Temples, Mosques, Churches and Gurudwaras. With the large amounts of information, the site is well organized dividing most listings into state categories. Sending comments or suggestions is simple with a form that is provided on the site or by emailing us [Replace _at_ with @] This section of GaramChai.com will attempt to address some of the Frequently Asked Questions on Life in the US and Canada that immigrants, visitors and others from different cultures attempt to address.

Chai is a ubiquitous drink in India. It is made across the country and is drunk both at home and at tiny tea stalls on road sides everywhere. Interestingly, this beverage that so many people associate with India was actually not consumed until the time of the British Raj. India grew a large amount of tea in areas such as Assam and Darjeeling, however the majority of Indians consumed coffee. The British East India Company became concerned as they realized they were losing a vast source of income to the Chinese, who had a virtual monopoly on tea sales. Thus, the East India Company began promoting tea to Indians. At first, the Indians were skeptical, and did not want to abandon their strongly flavored coffee. But eventually someone added strongly flavored spices to a sweet and milky tea and masala chai took off! The chai is sweet and spicy with a subtle burn at the back of the throat. It is, in a word, wonderful.

There are many ways to make chai. Some start by boiling ingredients sequentially, and others have strict rules about only stirring the chai 3 times in clockwise circles. The way that my family makes chai is relatively straightforward. We dump all the ingredients in the pot and let it come to a slow boil until it turns a beautiful, rich color. We use loose leaf tea, so it is necessary to strain the tea once it is fully cooked (having a spouted pot will really help decrease spills). Strain the tea, sit back, and enjoy.

Thanx Tanvilu for this eagerly awaited recipe. Question- about how long does this masala stay good? Is making smaller batches more frequently better than making enough once a year!

i am a ginger lover so might go generous on that and lighter on the black pepper. This stuff is sure to make the chai tea lattes look so impotent

@Carol aunty: The Parle G biscuits are a little bit sweet, but not too sweet. I'm sure you've eaten them at our place before. I would have put out some of the bhusu, but I didn't have any at my house!

@Amitbhai: This masala stays good for a pretty long time. Dad usually makes a batch 3-4 times a year and that is about the perfect amount of time. I have had a batch that still is really tasty after about a year, but you'll probably have to add more on the 1/4 tsp end and not the 1/8 tsp amount. If you don't anticipate using the chai masala frequently enough, make the big batch and then keep out only a quarter cup or so, and store the rest in the fridge/freezer. Come back and visit us and I'll !

@Rachel: You absolutely could do that! I used to do that when I was super addicted to the chai and relied on it in the mornings. I would take little premade tea bags with me when I was traveling! One thing I would recommend is to make sure you get fine mesh tea bags, rather than looser net like bags, otherwise all the tiny masala will slip out. Another recommendation is to avoid putting in sugar, unless you are absolutely sure that the person enjoys a sweeter beverage. If you are sure they do, then go ahead and put the sugar in it! That way they can just pop it into a pot with milk and water and boil it and go. Thanks for checking out my blog ?