Nobody can get enough of this hot stuff, rendering it an almost necessity-like quality
Through the UAE’s metamorphosis from a humble fishing and trading port to a futuristic metropolis, there has remained one constant. A steaming styrofoam cup of karak chai.
For most, karak is not just about a hot cup of strong, sweet tea. It’s an emotion, and not one to be taken lightly.
The same is evident in the long lines of honking cars outside nondescript hole-in-the wall cafeterias, all the way up to crowded fancy cafes nestled in skyscrapers. Nobody can get enough of it, rendering it an almost necessity-like quality.
Although most attribute the origin and love for tea to the Chinese and later the British, the beverage finds just as much favour across Arabic countries.
This particular rendition of it arrived in the UAE with the Indian diaspora in the 1960s, and the local population quickly took to this hot, creamy drink.
Derived from the Hindi word ‘kadak’ aka strong, the perfect brewed cup is a caramel-coloured drink with a creamy mouthfeel, and an almost toffee-like flavour. Simply put, it’s a blend of tea powder, spices like cardamom, cinnamon and ginger, and topped with a dab of saffron.
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Of course, several chains have increased the saffron flavouring to make what we now call a Zaffran karak chai.
From an evening catch-up with friends to energy boosts at night, the drink has become deeply ingrained in UAE culture. And it sells like hotcakes too. Starting as low as AED 1, you can even get more gourmet versions of the same up to AED 25 as you move to the swankier parts of town.
Accompanied by a simple egg sandwich or shortbread for the elite, there is no denying the charm of the simple yet refreshingly sweet drink.
On the back of this much-loved part of UAE culture, several cafeterias and chains have been established across the country.
Names like Filli, Project Chai, Pappa Roti and more are immediately connected to karak, and it helps that they now have vegan and premium options too.
A little-known fact about the drink is the addition of crushed biscuits for increased sweetness and flavour. And while logic might decree it’s not the healthiest, all of it ceases in the face of a cup of karak chai.
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