New Delhi: India’s steaming masala chai has been nominated as the second-most loved drink in the world among alcohol-free beverages.
The ranking, carried out by the online food guide TasteAtlas, calls it an “aromatic beverage… made with a combination of sweetened black tea and milk that is spiced with a masala mix – which typically includes cardamom, ground ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and black peppercorns… the choice and the exact proportion of spices often vary”.
However, and much to the angst of netizens, the food guide, which was started in 2018, called the ubiquitous Indian cuppa chai masala and not masala chai on its website.
The third on the list was also Indian – mango lassi. “Among numerous types of lassis, this sweet mango version is the most common variety on the menus of Indian restaurants outside the country,” the site said.
The rankings were based on 2.7 lakh dish ratings and more than 80,000 food product ratings, according to the website.
The first on the list is Mexico’s Aguas Frescas. It is a drink “made with a combination of fruits, cucumbers, flowers, seeds, and cereals blended with sugar and water”.
The name translates to fresh water, and it is often sold at bodegas and eateries throughout Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean, but it can also be found in Mexican cafés and taquerias throughout the USA, the site said.
“Aguas Frescas come in a variety of flavours such as guava, mango, orange, cucumber, lemon, and tamarind, among others. The beverage is most commonly consumed in the summer months, served cold with pieces of fruit and ice,” it added.
The fourth most popular non-alcoholic drink, according to the site, was tieguanyin oolong tea from China. “They are typically amber-coloured, rich, toasty, and sweet, with a persistent and complex flavour and aromas reminiscent of caramel and toasted nuts. Less baked and less oxidised versions became more prominent in the last couple of decades. They will have a lighter, fresher, and more vegetal character, mild flavour, and an orchid aroma,” TasteAtlas said.
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