Reduced Tea Sauce

As an Indian or should I say Human being, we all are an addicted to something or other. It could be sleeping (My favorite), reading, eating, net surfing, blogging, watching TV, music… List is endless. But being an Indian most of us are an addicted to one common thing i.e. either Tea or Coffee.
These tiny leaves of Camellia Sinersis plays major role in our everyday life, some people will not get up from their beds without having a sip of hot Tea and everybody uses it according to their need.

Now, when I am talking so much about This Tea, So how can I forget my Hotel and my dear Chefs? Yes this tea is like an addiction to most of the chefs, (Including me) which helps them to keep awake in long hour shifts and fulfill their need of caffeine.

During the days of my management trainee, when me and my other batch mate Shantanu (who likes to call himself as Shan) were doing our cuisine specialization in one of the Taj’s fine dine restaurant and there also Chefs were too addicted to this non-alcoholic somras. Now obviously chefs will not make Tea for themselves, so being a word ‘trainee’ attached to our so-called designation, we were the one who used to make it, and every time we used to crib because if somebody is making Tea, then he has to make it for whole kitchen brigade.
But one fine day, by god’s grace an Industrial trainee entered our kitchen, we both were happy with just a mere thought (hey naya Murga ayya, ab trainees ko trainee mile to kya hoga) Now somebody else will get dry store, somebody else will clean vegetables and most imp somebody else will make Tea for chefs.

One day, as it was not much busy, Shan planned to rag that trainee, so my friend Shan, so called ‘Chef Shan’ went to him and asked, So Tiger do you know how to make Tea Sauce? (There is a story behind word tiger, which I’ll share some other time).
That innocent trainee with his frog like wide-opened eyes said, ‘No Chef’ and Shan was expecting this answer only. He said, No problem, today I’ll teach you how to make Reduced Tea Sauce. (I was dying to laugh, but was acting to look serious).
Shan said, ok now you take out your scribbling pad and write down Mise- en –place list of Tea sauce, obviously that guy was not carrying scribbling pad (we also never carried) so Shan started his lecture, you new age trainees (like we were old, we were just 19) you don’t carry scribbling pad, you think, you can remember all recipes, you can mug whole larrouse (dictionary of gastronomy). By the time Shan was showing his superiority, that guy got hold of some paper and Shan started to dictate his Mise- en- place list.
Heavy bottom medium size saucepan.
Earl Grey tea leaves.
Castor sugar
White cardamom pods
Nestle skimmed milk.
Chinoise (fine strainer).
Most important. Clean portable water

After ten minutes, that guy came back with all items and asked Shan, What to do next chef?
Again Chef Shan started, put pan on medium heat and pour water, and wait for sometime. (That guy was listening with his full attention and was doing the same), now add Tealeaves and cardamom in water and let them brew. Now add milk and after first boil reduce it for sometime, till the time tea sauce attain good color. That innocent guy followed all instruction, as instructed.
Once all this is over, he again came back to Shan and asked what to do next chef? Shan very confidently said, now stain the tea sauce and pour in cups and give it to everybody, as soon as Shan ended his sentence, we both started laughing and guy also came to know that Shan has made him fool.
Till date I have not forgot this tea sauce and I am sure that guy also must have not.
So I feel after reading, all of you know how to make reduced tea sauce. Lol…