Tango with tea and a side of treats

Tea as more than just a habit. Much like wine it is a thoughtful pairing tool. The idea is simple: match intensity, balance flavours, and choose tea with intent. Whether it’s a light morning brew, a robust afternoon chai, or a calming night-time tisane, tea can cleanse, complement, and elevate food. Mindful pairing across kitchens and tea rooms tell us that when chosen well, tea doesn’t just accompany a meal, it shapes the experience. On International Tea Day, tea experts share know how to best enjoy tea, and with what.The sommelier’s viewTea sommelier Radhika Batra Shah sees tea pairings as a balance of flavour and function — where the goal is to elevate, not overwhelm. Her go-to combinations range from jalebi with chai, and phirni with floral tisanes to more contemporary pairings like turmeric chai latte with cakes, and Mukhwas cold brew with Turkish delights. She cautions against matching sugary teas with sweet desserts, noting that excess sweetness can flatten the palate. Her tea menus extend into zero-alcohol sundowners, blending cold brews with fruits, honey, and botanicals to create cocktail-style experiences rooted in wellness. She believes mindful consumption ensures tea serves a purpose.The chefs’ rules: Balance, contrast, restraintChef Nishant Choubey approaches tea like wine — matching the weight of the tea to the dish, using it to either cleanse the palate or echo a key flavour. His framework rests on five elements: body, tannin, sweetness, aroma, and finish. “A strong tea overwhelms subtle food; a delicate one disappears beside bold spice,” he says. He moves from first flush Darjeeling at breakfast to masala chai with afternoon snacks — “irreplaceable,” he insists — and roasted oolongs or hojicha with evening mains.Chef Zaid Shaikh builds pairings more intuitively. “The morning palate is fragile,” he says. “You don’t attack it with heavy tannins.” On desserts, his rule is firm: skip floral brews with chocolate. Instead try the Lapsang Souchong. Rudra Chatterjee, Managing Director, Luxmi Tea Co Private Ltd believes some of the best pairings are the ones people least expect. “Smoked salmon with a First Flush Darjeeling, the tea’s floral lightness cuts the oily fish the way champagne does, but cleaner and without the dryness,” he said. Another pairing he strongly recommends is “Aged blue cheese with a Second Flush Muscatel, funk meets fruit, it shouldn’t work and it absolutely does.” For chocolate lovers,“Dark chocolate with Oolong, where the roasted notes pull cocoa flavours forward you’d otherwise miss.” He also points to how tea can work with rich Indian dishes. “A properly spiced biryani with a chilled, lightly sweetened First Flush iced tea” is one pairing he says people should try at least once. “The tannins do exactly what a lassi does, cut through the ghee, but with more elegance.” Summing up the shift in tea culture, Rudra says, “Tea doesn’t have to be the polite drink everyone assumes it is.” Pooja Majumder, Speciality Tea Curator Jayshree Tea and Industries believes unconventional combinations can often create the most memorable experiences. “Dark chocolate with smoky Darjeeling handrolled black tea” remains one of her favourite pairings because of how the bitterness of the cocoa complements the tea’s roasted depth.She also suggests a more playful combination: “Plain salted popcorn with Darjeeling Green tea One can add a few grains of roasted rice to the green tea while steeping,” which enhances the tea’s nutty notes and makes the pairing even more layered. Match weight to weight: The simple rules behind tea pairingsDespite the growing experimentation around tea pairings, experts believe the experience should feel intuitive and enjoyable rather than overly technical. Pooja Majumder believes tea should never feel intimidating or rule-bound. “Tea is meant to be lived and experienced rather than governed by protocol,” she says. For her, comfort and balance matter more than rigid pairing rules. Whether it is “butter toast” with black tea, “masala muri” with green tea or “a slice of less-sweetened cake” with chamomile, the idea is to ensure that neither the tea nor the food overpowers the other. She also feels lighter teas work best with subtle flavours, while stronger brews naturally complement richer, creamier or spiced dishes. A similar philosophy, summing it up with one simple principle: “Match weight to weight.” According to Rudra, “Delicate teas like a Spring Flush or a White tea want delicate food,” while “robust teas like a Second Flush or a strong Oolong can handle rich, fatty, spiced dishes.”Enjoy tea, hour by hourMornings and mid-mornings: Assam orthodox, first flush Darjeeling, tulsi-lemongrass, jasmine green or rose tisaneAfternoon: Darjeeling green, chamomile, blue pea, masala chai, smoky or milk oolong Evening and sundowner: Ceylon green, bergamot Darjeeling, hibiscus cold brew, kahwa spritz, jasmine tonicNighttime: Caffeine-free chamomile-lavender, fennel-mint or kahwaTry cold-brew hibiscus with orange peel, Kahwa spritz with saffron, smoked Lapsang with kokum & honey