Indian spiced tea originally called "masala chai" is on trend and is here to stay. A very old drink that today is served in coffee shops around the world and is ideal to start the day with energy.
I share with you all the details about the history of the Masala chai, its properties and my favorite recipe of this spiced tea.
Masala chai, the taste of India...
The Masala chai , is the most popular drink in India. You can find at the chai wallahs on the streets all over the country, in big cities as well as in rural areas, in the trains that travel all over the country and in every Indian home (each one with its own unique recipe).
In India, to drink a masala Chai, is a social act deeply rooted in their culture. Any time of the day is a good time to enjoy this spicy tea, but it must be freshly brewed and very hot.
Traditionally, it was served in vessels made of unglazed red clay called "Kulhars. These natural containers give the brew an earthy flavor that blends well with the tea and spices. Today, many tea establishments serve them in disposable cups.
Origin of masala chai
We do not know with certainty the origin of the m, but there are indications that it was created more than 5,000 years ago as a remedy of the ancestral Indian medicine, the Ayurveda. Originally, it did not contain tea and was an infusion of spices considered "hot" according to Ayurvedic principles. The following ingredients were used: cardamom, pepper, cloves, star anise, ginger and cinnamon. Many benefits were attributed to this drink for better digestion and circulation.
In the 19th century, when the British colonized India, they began to cultivate the "Camellia Sinensis" plant in the Assam region. Nowadays, India is the second largest tea-producing country after China and its most recognized teas worldwide are those from the states of Assam and Darjeeling. During that time all the production was exported to Great Britain and there was no regular consumption in the Indian population due to its high price and the little knowledge about this product.
The local consumption of this spicy tea had its boom and massification in the 20th century , as a result of a campaign of the "Indian Tea Association". This campaign promoted that the labor industries of the country should provide their workers with a break to rest during the working day and that this break should be accompanied by black tea due to its energizing and stimulating benefits. From then on, British-style tea began to be served with milk (cold, at that time) and sugar. As the Indians did not like the taste very much, they added their typical spice mixture (masala) to give it a more pleasant taste to the local palate. Later, it evolved into the masala chai, The current method in which milk is part of the hot preparation and its proportion is greater than that which the English used to add.
You will never take two Masala chai equal, since in each chai wallah or home, the recipe is modified to your taste: with more spices, stronger tea, more or less sweet... so... Enjoy each of them as something unique!
Recipe of the Masala chai traditional
If you want to enjoy a cup of spiced tea at home, here is a traditional recipe in which I explain how to prepare a good cup of spiced tea. Masala chai. Remember that you can modify it according to your taste.
Ingredients for 4 cups of spiced tea:
4 tsp Black tea
2 slices Fresh ginger
1 piece Cinnamon stick
1 piece Star anise
8 berries Black peppercorns
8 grains Green cardamom
2 pieces Cloves
400 ml Milk
200 ml Water
to taste Brown sugar
Preparation of the Masala chai:
In a saucepan, heat the water with the cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and pepper (the latter two, crushed in a mortar).
Once it starts to boil, leave on medium heat for 4 minutes.
Add the tea and milk and simmer for 4 more minutes without letting it boil.
Add the sugar and stir a little. Turn off the heat and let stand 2 min.
Strain the tea through a fine mesh strainer and it's ready to drink!
Variants of Masala chai
As I have already told you, there are no two chai masala equal. In each region of India there are differences in the mixture of spices and the proportions used. In some places ginger chai is typical, chai cardamom and even in some areas like Kashmir they make it with green tea instead of black tea.
In addition, due to its increasing popularity in the West, beverages inspired by the taste of the chai masala although not being the original drink, it can be said that some of them are very tasty. There are syrups flavored with masala chai, powdered preparations, chai latte and even bottled beverages both hot and cold.
Chai tea, a very common redundancy
It is quite common to hear the terms "chai tea", "tea chai" o "chai tea with spices", to refer to the Masala chaidespite being a total redundancy. In Hindi, "masala" means mixture of spices and "chai", means tea (this word comes from Persian). Therefore, saying "chai tea" is the same as saying "tea tea". It is curious but even big brands of tea and beverages use the erroneous term "chai tea" in their product labeling and advertising campaigns. If you travel to India, remember this fact because if you ask for an "chai" you will be given a dry black tea, without spices or milk.
With a Masala Chai you can travelling to India from home :)
And that being said... enjoy this tasty spiced tea!
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