The Tea Detective
Uncovering and Exploring the Facts About Tea
Uncovering and Exploring the Facts About Tea
| Chai Tea - The Popular Sweet, Spicy Specialty Tea From India |
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| If you love tea and warm, soothing spices like cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon, then India's sweet and spicy Chai or Masala Chai is your cup of tea. |
| The traditional form of chai was created in the early 1900's in what was then British ruled India. In an effort to encourage more tea usage among their workers, the British owned Indian Tea Assoc- iation encouraged all factories, mines, and textile mills to provide tea breaks, going so far as to sup- port independent chai wallahs (or chaiwalas) to sell tea on board the growing railway system. Officially the tea was to be served English style with a small amount of milk and sugar added to strong black tea. But instead, the independent vendors increased the proportions of milk and sug- ar and added spices to the milk, reducing the us- age (and consequently the purchase) of more tea. Although the Indian Tea Association strongly disa- pproved it was too late. Masala chai had become |
| the popular choice over plain tea and before long it spread beyond India and South Asia to the rest of the world, gaining loyal followers along the way. The original recipe and traditional preparation of Masala chai is to combine milk, water, loose leaf tea, and spices, bringing the mixture to a boil or a constant simmer, and straining off the solid tea and spice residue before serving. Although the ingredients vary from one location to the next, the traditional, original chai was made with a half cup each of water and milk, cardamom powder, cinnamon powder, ground cloves, ginger powder, powdered pepper, and one teaspoon of loose black tea. Because of the large number of possible variations, Masala chai can be considered a class of tea rather than a specific type, such as black tea or green tea. That said, there are always four basic components of Masala chai. These are: Tea base - this is usually a strong black tea such as India's Assam, so that the sweeteners and spices don't overpower the flavor of the tea. A specific inexpensive type of Assam tea called mamri is most often used in India. Mamri is processed in a way that creates granules, rather than leaf tea. Although most chai tea in India is brewed with strong black tea, Kashmiri chai is brewed using green gunpowder tea. Sweetener - along with plain white cane sugar, Demerara sugar, other brown sugars, palm or coconut sugars, or honey is used as the sweetener. Condensed milk is also used, serving as a dual purpose sweetener and milk addition. Milk - generally whole milk is used because it's rich. Also, as noted above, condensed milk can be used as both the milk and sweetener. Spices - traditional Masala chai was designed to be strong and spicy, brewed with what are con- sidered to be "warm spices." The basic spices include fresh ginger, green cardamom pods, cinna- mon, fennel seeds, peppercorn or black pepper, and cloves. Traditionally cardamom was the dominant flavor. In Western India fennel and black pepper are deleted, and in Bhopal a pinch of salt is added. A Kashmiri version of chai uses green tea rather than black and incorporates more subtle flavors with almonds, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and sometimes saffron. Other spices and flavorings include nutmeg, rose petals (boiled with the tea), and licorice root. The popular, spicy Masala chai has made its way around the world with each country adapting it to the local and regional tastes. It can be found in many variations in the U.S., of course, with every cafe, restaurant, and coffee house swearing by their own unique version. Supermarkets in the West carry prepackaged single serve tea bags, as well as bottles of chai spice. American mixes usually contain powdered spices with cinnamon and sugar many times the dominant flavors. If you would rather your chai be cold, Starbucks offers a chai frappuccino blended creme which consists of a slushy spiced tea, ice, and milk, blended and topped with whipped cream. Or It's a Grind Coffee House offers a simi- lar blended chai latte. Some other U.S. coffeehouses offer a concoction of Masala chai with espresso, calling it by many different names, including java chai, red eye chai, chai charger, tough guy chai, and dirty chai, just to name a few. |
| Visit our Hot Tea Drinks Recipes page for a Masala Chai Recipe, and to learn how to make your own flavored or blend- ed teas, visit our Blended-Fillable Tea Bags page and make your own Masala chai tea bags. You can also find great classic Masala Chai tea blends from Silver Leaf Tea Co., with black tea, ginger root, cinnamon, and green cardamom, together with a hint of vanilla. This is one tea I wholeheartedly recommend-it is soooo good and soothing. Believe me, there's nothing like it after a hard, hectic day. Silver Leaf Tea also offers a yummy chocolate chai tea. Whether you design your own recipe or buy it pre-blended, I have to warn you, once you try chai tea, you'll be hooked for life. Enjoy. |
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| For more information or to learn more about tea, visit our other pages: What is Bubble Tea and where is it from? Learn all about the colorful, fruity Bubble Tea, where it originated, how it's made and where you can find it. (Try delicious Vanilla Tea from Silver Leaf Tea Co. - Premium black tea w/vanilla beans and vanilla flavor makes a rich, fragrant and mellow tea, is a perfect treat for your afternoon break time). Why did Taiwan create high mountain gao shan oolongs in the early 1980's? Learn about Taiwan's Ali shan, Li shan, and other high mountain gao shan oolongs and the reason they set about creating these teas in earnest in the early 1980's. Which of Taiwan's teas was named "Oriental Beauty" by Queen Elizabeth II? Learn which Taiwan tea was named Oriental Beauty by Queen Elizabeth II, as well as its growing and har- vesting schedule, how it's made, and availability as an export. What are the "Seven Tea Trees," and where and by whom were they planted? explore China during the Qin to Han dynasties and learn the story of the "Seven Tea Trees," who planted them, why they were special, and where they are today. Which of Taiwan's teas is their most famous and beloved? Learn which of Taiwan's teas became their most famous and beloved, beginning with 36 tea plants brought from China's Wuyi Mountain in 1865. (Try Orange Spice Tea from Silver Leaf Tea Co. - black tea w/orange peel, orange flavor and spice. A very aromatic tea w/a zesty, citrusy orange taste. Great in summer as an iced tea w/fresh orange added. What is the Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP) and how does it differ from Fair Trade? Learn what the Ethical Tea Partnership or ETP is, and its function in regard to manufacturing tea, as well as its relationship to Fair Trade, and how it differs. |
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