HOW CAREFULLY SHE SETS DOWN THE CUP

M asks 'Do you want ginger tea'. She sets the white thick china cup down in front of me, carefully wiping down the rim.

M's ginger tea/chai:

Water. Fresh ginger. Tea. Boil water furiously with small peeled bits of ginger. Brew tea. Milk and sugar. In Haryana, cousin says, they throw tea leaves into fresh milk directly.