Mumbai Cutting Chai
Mumbai, India
Half the size, double the intensity—Mumbai's famous street chai served in tiny glasses for maximum flavor.
The Story
'Cutting' refers to the half-portion served in small glasses—originally to make chai affordable for everyone. In Mumbai's bustling streets, office workers, taxi drivers, and shopkeepers grab a cutting chai multiple times a day. It's brewed impossibly strong, sweet, and served piping hot. The small size means you drink it fast, standing at the stall, part of the city's rhythm. A cutting costs almost nothing but delivers everything.
Flavor Notes
Perfect For
- Quick caffeine hits
- Office breaks
- Street food adventures
- When you need intensity not quantity
- Mumbai nostalgia
Pairs Well With
Make It at Home
4 cutting portions (or 2 regular cups) · 8 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup milk
- 3 tablespoons CTC tea (extra measure)
- 1-inch ginger, crushed
- 3 tablespoons sugar
Steps
- 1Crush ginger and add to water in a pan
- 2Bring to rolling boil
- 3Add tea leaves—be generous
- 4Boil hard for 1-2 minutes
- 5Add milk and sugar together
- 6Bring to vigorous boil, let rise and fall 2-3 times
- 7Strain into small glasses, filling only halfway (that's the 'cutting')
- 8Drink fast, standing up, Mumbai-style
Variations to Try
- ✦Add elaichi (cardamom) for special cutting
- ✦Some stalls add lemongrass
- ✦Malai cutting—topped with cream
Related Variants
How to Brew
Our recommended approach for the best cup
Water Temperature
212°F
(100°C)
Amount
3 teaspoons tea per small cup (extra strong)
Steep Time
Boil 3-4 minutes with milk
Resteeps
Not traditional
Recommended Vessel
Large pot, tiny glass cups (cutting glasses)
Brewing Tips
The key is concentration—more tea leaves, less liquid. Always include ginger. It should be almost too sweet. Real cutting chai is made in huge batches, poured from height. Serve immediately—it's meant to be drunk fast.