Entertainment
Two Ways to Chai
As I type this, a saucepan of black tea, cardamom, and sugar is bubbling on the stove. In 20 minutes, I’ll add evaporated milk and lower the heat, then wait again as it simmers. To make Zaynab Issa’s Karak Chai, you’re committing to patience and the payoff: a spicy, milky tea that warms you from head to toe.
Chai means tea, any tea, but the Starbucks-ification of tea makes us immediately associate it with the milky, cardamom-enhanced version. “I’ve ordered my fair share,” laughed Zaynab, whose gorgeous cookbook, Third Culture Cooking, is a playful blend of recipes that touch on her family’s Khoja identity — a diaspora of Indians who migrated to East Africa, among other places — but also the fact that she grew up in New Jersey and worked in Bon Appétit’s test kitchen.
Zaynab describes “third culture cooking” as a category that “helps define a bunch of children of immigrants” because her food isn’t Khoja + American, it’s all over the (delicious) place. There are Mall Cinnamon Rolls, Samosa-Spiced Smashed Burgers, and French Onion Ramen. The book’s design will draw you into her beautiful world, and the Karak Chai will brighten your own.
“This chai is not casual,” Zaynab told me. And neither is she. The author and New York Times Cooking contributor is always impeccably dressed (and in fact, we spoke after she’d zipped out of a fashion show in New York, where she lives).
The secret to making a tea-forward chai, Zaynab writes in her book, is to use a British black tea, like Tetley or PG Tips. Those stronger teas can take a half hour of steeping and come out fighting. (Lipton could never.) When Zaynab was a kid, they’d visit family in Canada and stock up on Tetley, unboxing it into Ziploc bags and stuffing their luggage. But now it’s more readily available — I found it at Meijer in Michigan.
We talked about how, in a culture that doesn’t drink alcohol, the nuance and ritual of tea hits some of those same notes. “There’s intentionality” to drinking chai, she said, in the same way you might open an aged bottle of bourbon. Often, her mom will put on the Pyrex Flameware glass kettle while they’re still eating dinner, to get it started, and it’ll simmer while the dishes are washed and the table cleared. When everyone moves into the living room to chat, the chai will be ready. “The pot of tea stretches out the evening,” says Zaynab. “It keeps us together longer.”
Karak Chai, two ways
Serves 6
35 minutes
The spices used can vary from household to household, but cardamom is essential. This amount of sugar feels like the minimum for a pleasant drinking experience, but feel free to adjust it… or simply serve the tea with a bowl of sugar alongside with spoons for people to sweeten to their liking. Fair warning, someone will absolutely use the dry sugar spoon to mix their chai and return it to the now-clumpy sugar bowl. That’s when I have to remind myself to breathe — it’s all part of the experience. – Zaynab Issa
4 Tetley brand tea bags or PG Tips, or 4 teaspoons black tea leaves
13 cardamom pods, cracked
3-inch cinnamon stick
3 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus more to taste (or cane or light brown sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
1 cup (240 ml) evaporated milk
Combine 6 cups (1.4 L) water, tea bags, cardamom, cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla in a stove-safe tea kettle or medium pot. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Stir in the evaporated milk and return to a boil, watching carefully to ensure the tea doesn’t boil over — once the milk is introduced, boiling over is common at a rolling boil. Once just boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thick, creamy, and caramel in color, about 25 minutes. The longer the tea simmers, the stronger and creamier it will be, although it will also reduce in volume. Taste for desired sweetness and add more sugar to your taste.
Strain the chai through a fine-mesh sieve into mugs; discard the spices and tea bags. Serve with additional sugar on the side.
Variation with cocoa:
Whisk in 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder with the tea, spices, sugar, and vanilla.
Thank you, Zaynab!
Alex Beggs is a writer and copywriter who lives with her partner in Michigan. Her articles have appeared in Bon Appetit, Elle Decor, and The New York Times. She has also written for Cup of Jo about her dad’s meatloaf, cold cake, and (very) bad hair days.
P.S. The hot chocolate that knocks everyone’s socks off and five fun things we noticed at a drinks party.
Excerpted from the new book Third Culture Cooking: Classic Recipes for a New Generation by Zaynab Issa. Photos copyright (c) 2025 by Graydon Herriott. Published by Abrams.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
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Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
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Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
A'ja Wilson has no shortage of motivation after Aces' early exit in '24
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
