Started browsing through the farmer's market just as the morning light hit the wooden crates. Noticed cardamom pods tucked between the usual spices—green ones, not the common black. Their papery shells caught the sun, almost translucent. Picked up a few and caught that eucalyptus-like sweetness even before opening them.
Back home, I decided to make chai the way my neighbor used to, years ago. She'd crush the pods with the flat of a knife, never a grinder. I tried it. The aroma bloomed instantly—camphor, citrus, something floral I can't quite name. Added black tea, milk, a little jaggery. Let it simmer. The kitchen filled with that warm, woody scent that always reminds me of her tiny apartment, the blue ceramic mugs she'd use, the way she'd insist on a second cup.
First sip: sweet but not cloying, the cardamom sitting right at the back of the tongue. It's sharper when fresh. The aftertaste lingered—almost minty, cooling even though the tea was hot. I'd forgotten how much texture matters. The crushed pods left tiny flecks in the cup, a little gritty if you didn't strain it well. I didn't mind.