When I was growing up there was one specialty chai drink that was always off the official menu but could always be ordered by telling the chai stall owner to make "mara mari". "Mara mari" is a combination of chai and coffee and as far as I know it originated in Pune, India. "Mara Mari" literally means fight and according to my neighbor back then, "mara mari" always caused her stomach to go into fight mode ....if you know what I mean ;). She always refused the coffee that we offered her if she happened to stop by our home after her afternoon tea. Her constant refrain was I want no stomach "mara mari".
My stomach and I quite enjoy the drink and it will be loved by those who enjoy the extra caffeine kick that coffee adds to the chai.
These days "mara mari" is available states side as "dirty chai". Its a shot of espresso added to chai latte. It is interesting but just as chai latte is not the chai I know, dirty chai is not the "mara mari" I know!
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