My Inconspicuous Companion

Growing up, my family had a strict ‘No packaged juice’ policy and it was sacrilegious to even demand an occasional indulgence of synthetic sugar syrups. That’s mainly because my mom knew I would (for a fact) fall sick with a bad throat the very next day. So, at every birthday party I ever attended as a kid, I was firmly instructed not to reach out for a glass of cola or Rasna.

But was I going to listen to any of that?

Every firm remark of my mother’s on this subject matter was met with complete and utter disregard from my end. Her words hardly ever managed to cross through between my ears and brain. And no sooner did I end up at the birthday party of a 7-year-old than my sugar-hungry body would instantly go hunting for that orange-flavored cold glass of Rasna.

Consequence? Sore throat, occasional fever and no television-viewing rights for the next day. I didn’t mind this one bit. Because the few responsibilities one had as a kid – doing homework, taking out the trash and dusting the tables – also flew out the window immediately, and were pleasantly replaced by endless hours of staying cozily tucked in bed with a comic book and a mug full of get-well-soon-so-I-can-whack-you-good masala chai tea.

Now, my mother is a fervent advocate of home remedies. Seeing her reach out for a pill is a rare sight and I admire that about her. So naturally, every time I (or my sister) would come down with a sore throat or fever, we’d find Mom straightaway reaching for her apothecary cabinet. I especially loved it when she’d make me her special get-well-soon tea.

It was a rich, masala-laden cup of tea goodness topped with spices like ginger, pepper, fennel, cinnamon and cardamom. She’d start by brewing a pot of regular chai (with a little less milk than she’d conventionally use). On the side, she’d dish up a fiery concentrate of spices like an alchemist, and just as the tea would come to a boil, she’d throw in this juju mix. It was the next best thing to actually feeling better.

Getting sick is a lot less fun now, because unlike during childhood, you don’t really get a day off from the overwhelming existential stress that comes with being a grown-up. BUT. If at all I fall sick these days, nothing makes me warm (literally and emotionally) like the cup of my mom’s apothecary tea. But since we now live in different cities, I have come up with my own herbal blend that works almost as well as my mom’s when I have the sniffles. I have replaced her fennel seeds with lemongrass and I love a sprinkle of nutmeg in my masala tea. It’s a hug in a cup.

Originally published on Still Steeping, the Teabox blog, on February 13, 2015. Lightly edited for clarity in October 2026. Brew your own spiced cup with Assam Masala Chai, or explore all our chai.