Description

Danedar means grainy in Urdu, and it describes the size of the leaf particle rather than any flavouring or additive. Sorting tea into a coarser grade is deliberate: the bigger the particle, the slower it gives up its tannin, so a danedar brew can sit on the heat longer without turning bitter. It is the grade Pakistani households pick when chai gets made three or four times a day.

Give it a minute or two longer in the pan than you would a fine leaf, and it rewards the wait with a rounder, less sharp cup. It is the right choice for karak chai, where the pan sits on a low flame while the milk reduces, and for doodh patti, where there is barely any water in the pan at all. A kilo pouch is a commitment, so decant what you need into a smaller tin and keep the rest sealed.

Why is danedar tea more expensive per kilo in some shops? Because sorting out the coarse grade takes an extra step and yields less of it per batch. On this shelf the kilo pouch still works out cheaper per cup than the 450 gram.

Can I use danedar in a teapot instead of a pan? You can, but it is built for boiling with milk. Steeped in a pot with hot water it comes out thinner than the fine cut leaf, which is the opposite of what most people expect.

A smaller trial size is available as the 450 gram fine cut pouch, and Panjab Supermarket’s tea shelf carries the Indian blends alongside it. Vegetarian. Keep the pack folded shut or tip it into an airtight tin, because loose tea takes up damp and kitchen smells quickly. Order online at Panjab Supermarket for same-day delivery across Nieuwegein, Utrecht, Leidsche Rijn, Vleuten, Maarssen, Zeist, Bunnik, IJsselstein, Vianen, and Culemborg. Free delivery on orders over 49 euros.