A Recipe for 'Friendship': Chai with Navodita Singh

Talking to Strangers (About Music)

The concept of "friend" on Facebook is a strange one. So often, people request to be 'friends' from all over the world, and I don't even know them.
"Why do you accept?" my husband asks. And I think about this. What better way to interact and learn about people from all over the world quickly and easily then social media?
Seven years ago, a request came in from a young woman in India named Navodita Singh. I accepted. In the ensuing years, Navodita--a beautiful always-smiling dancing woman-- has liked a variety of my posts, and even commented, and I have done the same on her posts. We seem like kindred spirits, trying to be positive and hopeful, trying to share our inspiration.
Recently, Navodita shared a post about her morning ritual with Chai, a traditional Indian beverage, and it occurred to me that this was exactly the reason to be friends with foreign strangers on Facebook. Sharing the rituals that give us pleasure, teaching others the ways in which we practice our daily joy and appreciation for life...I can use all the suggestions I can get!! And, by the way, I love Chai.
I reached out to Navodita immediately after seeing her post, and asked if she would like to chat with me on my podcast. She happily agreed, and here is the result: a conversation between "friends" thousands of miles away, about how we get our inspiration, starting with a yummy morning beverage. (I told Navodita about the U.S. "Dirty Chai" I love, that adds a shot of espresso to a cup of Chai...yum!)
Here is Navodita's recipe for Chai:
Recipe
For one cup of chai, you’ll need:
Half cup of water
Half cup of milk
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp tea leaves
Freshly grated ginger (for one cup you can have 10gm of ginger)
Additional ingredients: cardamom, lemongrass, cinnamon for additional aroma and taste.
Process :
To a pan add water and milk, boil it for 2 minutes then add tea leaves, sugar and ginger. Let the whole mixture boil for 6-7 minutes. That’s it! Viola, you’ve a cup of chai ready! Let me know how it goes.
(You can add the additional ingredients at the time of boiling it)