Masala Chai Tea Ingredients
The term chai tea is a bit confusing as chai actually just means tea in many parts of the world. However, usually when we refer to Chai Tea here in the U.S. , were talking about Masala Chai, which is black tea brewed with a blend of aromatic spices, often served with milk.
There are many varieties of Masala Chai, but these are the spices I consider essential for a classic chai flavor.
- Cinnamon sticks
- Star Anise
The final ingredients are black tea and sweetener, which well discuss more below.
This combination delivers a tongue tingling, warm, and sweet masala chai, with a pleasant kick at the end. I like my chai on the spicy side, but you can definitely lower the amount of peppercorn and clove if you prefer a milder flavor. Thats the joy of creating your own chai concentrate!
Authentic Masala Chai Recipe
How to make authentic Masala Chai, like they do in India, using whole spices. Vegan and Sugar-Free adaptable. This would be delicious served with Spicy Chai Molasses Cookies!
Many thoughts appear in the mind, but it is the heart that holds one and not another. ~ Dorothy Hunt
Yes, Ive had it numerous times here in the states, but somehow, either it was overly sweetened, too bland, or perhaps I had just never truly connected with it. It was almost like, I met Chai for the first time, at age 50 when I went to India. I cant believe I lived so many years without it! Masala Chai filled a void, I never knew I had, until those very first sips.
What Is Masala Chai
In India masala means spice, and chai means tea. Spiced Tea.
And that is exactly what Masala Chai is -black tea infused with fragrant spices, typically served with milk.
Here in the states we often call this chai tea, or a chai tea latte. But in India, saying chai tea, is like saying tea tea. So thats why in India, one says Masala Chai or spiced tea. Good to know, right?
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What Is Chai Tea Latte
Originated in India, a chai tea latte is a drink prepared in a lot of coffee shops across the US, similarly to a latte , but with a Chai Tea Concentrate used instead of espresso. The Chai Tea Concentrate is made with a very strong black tea, infused with spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, vanilla, cloves and it usually contains added sugar.
How To Froth The Milk For Chai Tea Latte
You’ll need to froth the milk, to make that beautiful foam you see on a photo above. It is Chai Tea LATTE, and latte requires foam on top. There are several ways to froth the milk:
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How To Make The Perfect Chai Tea
Yall Im not gonna lie, Id decide chai over a espresso any day. Not that I drink that a lot espresso within the first place, however nonetheless. For me, chai has all the time had a particular place in my coronary heart. Its all the time been far more than only a spicy drink possibility on the espresso store, however a manner of inviting folks in to your house and spending time with these you care about. At any time when my dad and mom associates would come over to the home, even simply to drop one thing off for lower than two minutes, one of many first questions was all the time, Would you like a cup of chai?. Clearly that then became a two hour dialog and catch up in the lounge however thats irrelevant.
Bringing out a tray of chai with some biscuits was a manner of forging connections and constructing relationships, discovering out what was occurring in somebodys life and taking a break from the fast-paced lives everyone seems to be coping with.
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Trying again now, I sort of get all wispy and nostalgic about these moments. So since I dont stay at house anymore the place a cup of chai was only one ask away, I needed to begin discovering my very own formulation .
1. Lots of chai out there may be simply too candy.
2. Theyre lacking the depth of taste that comes from the co-mingling of spices, aka theyre both too ginger or cinnamon ahead in style.
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What Is Chai Tea Exactly
Chai, or masala chai, is a type of spiced tea. “Chai” actually means just “tea,” so if we say “chai tea,” we’re actually saying “tea tea.” Masala means spiced. So masala chai is “spiced tea.”
Masala chai originated in India. In 1806, the British had brought tea from China to Assam, India, in order to cultivate it. Tea was primarily exported to Britain and was expensive for those living in India. However, the British-owned Indian Tea Association recognized a market in the early 1900s in India and promoted tea drinking. Tea was still costly, so the Indians diluted the tea with milk and added spices to make up for the less robust flavor. Thus, masala chai was invented out of necessity. But, it became very popular among Indians.
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How To Make Chai
A few years ago, I was on a big chai kick. I ordered it at our local coffee shop, but when I tried chai concentrate or chai-spiced tea bags from the grocery store, I was left disappointed. Making chai from spices rather than from a concentrate or bag is so simple and tastes just likeor better thanwhat youll get at your local coffee shop.
Homemade chai is exactly what it should be: spicy, sweet, rich, and milky. Its absolute comfort on a chilly day and making it will make your kitchen smell divine.
Start with spices. Lots of them. Fresh ginger root, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, peppercorns, cardamom pods, whole cloves, and whole allspice.
Use a mallet or a rolling pin to crush the peppercorns, cardamom, cloves, and allspice.
Place all of the spices in a saucepan and add water.
Once that has simmered for a bit, youll add black tea bags and let them steep. Strain the tea and spices and add whole milk and brown sugar.
Whisk well to combine.
Cook until the milk is warmed and the sugar has dissolved. Serve immediately and with cookies, of course!
Make it and curl up in front of a fire with a good book. Its good for the soul!
How To Make A Chai Latte
I fell in love with the idea of chai through the cartons of this drink mix from the grocery store. The milky sweetness partnered with the astringent black tea drew me in, but the warm spices that lingered between sips kept me drinking. It wasnt long before the sweetness of those chai drink mixes became too much for me and I started experimenting with chai lattes at home.
This chai latte gives you complete control over your chai latte experience, from the tea and the spices, to the sweetener and type of milk. The result is a creamy cup of black tea subtly spiced and fragrant with cinnamon, black pepper, and ginger, and just the right amount of sweetness, so near perfect that youll skip the coffee shop chai and come home to make a pot of this at tea time.
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How To Make A Homemade Chai Tea Latte
Youve got your homemade chai tea latte concentrate, now its time to make your latte.
What I like about the Stash brand of chai tea bags is they have a good amount of the traditional spice. You can play around with the amount of concentrate to milk, but this is a good place to start:
- 4 oz chai tea concentrate
- 4 oz milk
- 1/2-1 tsp sweetener of choice
For a stronger chai tea flavor, simply go heavier on the concentrate.
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Where Is Chai From
Also known as masala chai, chai originated thousands of years ago in India, although some believe there could be ancient Thai connections too. Our Chiang Mai Chai pays homage to chaiâs Thai origins, blending fresh and zesty lemongrass with cardamom and a hit of liquorice.
Originally this spicy sweet version of chai was made solely with chai spices and no loose black tea, but with the arrival of the British in the Indian province of Assam, black tea soon made its way into the chai recipe.
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The Best Ways To Brew Chai Tea
The best way to brew masala chai is to is to use fresh, whole spices and crush or grind them down to release their full flavors. If you don’t have the time or access to whole spices, you can use ground spices. Just know that the tea may not be be as aromatic as using whole spices.
Be sure to use high quality tea, spices you like, and steep for as long as you like. A lot of it is just a matter of personal taste more than what may or may not be considered “correct.”
Benefits Of Masala Chai
Chai on its own is acidic in nature. Adding the ginger and whole spices nullifies the acidic nature of the tea, and adds a number of benefits. The benefits of chai mainly come from the spices added to it. All the spices we add to the chai masala have lots of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.
The main benefit of chai I feel is it reduces my fatigue. Whenever I am tired, a cup of tea always brightens me up. The tannins present in tea help calm the body and revitalize it. Tea also contains caffeine, although in much less quantity than coffee.
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Where Does Chai Come From
Chai originated in the Indian subcontinent. Wild tea plants grew in the Assam region of India, as noticed by British colonists in the 1830s, who began to cultivate the plant. However, consumption of Indian tea in Britain didnt take off until the late 19th Century, with over 90% of tea still being of Chinese origin in the 1870s. The end of the century saw Indian-grown tea gain immensely in popularity, and by 1900 Chinese tea consumption had dropped to just 10%.
However, tea, which was historically used in medicine in India rather than as a beverage, still wasnt a popular drink in India until the early 20th Century. The Indian Tea Association encouraged employers to give their staff tea breaks and supported independent tea vendors. These vendors, which were commonly found on rail routes around the country, took to substituting some of the tea leaves in their tea with spices and a high volume of milk and sugar, to reduce their costs.Despite the Indian Tea Associations disapproval, Masala Chai became firmly established as the delicious beverage we know today, available the world over.
How To Sweeten Masala Chai:
- The fourth component of Masala Chai is the sweetener. In India, jaggery or cane sugar is typically used.
- I prefer sweetening Masala Chia with maple syrup or honey instead of sugar. But any sugar, or sugar alternative will work here.
- Sweeten to your own taste. For a large 8 ounce serving, I use about 2-3 teaspoons of maple syrup to balance the spices and black tea. Perhaps this seems a bit much, but to me it tastes perfect.
- Find your own balance
Strain and serve.
And yes, it is very typical to serve chai in a glass in India, leaving some room at the top to hold the glass.
We have a few of these cute chai glasses with racks, available in our Bowl and Pitcher Shop if interested.
And there you have it, masala chai, like they make in India. A delicious morning beverage or afternoon pick-me-up.
Feel free to make this ahead, or make a huge batch and store in the fridge. Then simply pull it out from the fridge and heat up with the milk.
Happy New Year Friends! May this cozy authentic Masala Chai bring comfort and warmth to help get us all through these cold months. Serve with Spicy Chai Molasses Cookies!
Love and cheers,
- Category:drinks, tea, hot beverage
- Method:stove-top
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Athena Pappas’ Chai Tea
2 -3 tablespoons strong black tea, such as assam or ceylon
- Put spices in a mortar and pestle and give them a little smash or two, just to crack the cardamom pods.
- Bring water to boil. Add ginger and spices. Reduce to a simmer for about 10 minutes. Add tea and simmer for another 3 5 minutes.
- Turn off heat and add whole cows milk or almond milk to taste. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into mugs. Add honey to taste.
How To Make A Chai Tea Latte
Thats it. Super easy, super quick, super good.
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There’s Nothing Like A Warm Chai
It’s so easy to make your own chai spice mix at home. After you’ve tried it, you’ll never look back!
Masala chai – also known as ‘chai’, or ‘chai tea’ – is a traditional tea from India containing a mixture of warming aromatic herbs and spices mixed with black tea and milk. It’s known for preventing colds and also beneficial for warming the system when you do have a cold, making it the perfect hot drink during wintertime.
To make a delicious chai spice mix, start with whole spices and grind them yourself . You probably have a lot of these ingredients in your spice cupboard. By making it yourself you will save money and you’ll have a bunch of chai spice mixture to make tons of chai whenever you want, all winter long!
If you only have ground spices at home and not the whole spices to grind yourself, absolutely use them. The end result will be the same flavour. You can adjust the ingredients depending on how much chai spice mixture you want to make.
- 1/2 cup milk of choice
- 2 teaspoons black tea, such as Ceylon or Assam
- Sweetener of choice to taste
I have also used this spice mixture to give flavour to desserts, or in morning smoothies. It’s such a fragrant mix and really gives a lift to any recipe.
Do any of you have any interesting recipes using Chai? I’d love you to let me know in the comments
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Buying And Storing Chai
A chai blend, just like any other tea blend, wont really go bad, but it can get stale. To ensure youre getting the freshest chai, buy it from a reputable company that can tell you when and how the chai was processed and packaged. Chai tea blends can stay fresh for up to a year with these storage tips in mind:
- Always store tea in a cool, dark place.
- Keep your tea away from heat, light, oxygen and moisture, and never store tea in the refrigerator.
- Tea will last longer if stored in an opaque, airtight container.
- Dont let tea share the pantry with items like coffee and spices that can leach their flavor into the tea leaves.
For more information about how to best care for your tea, visit our How to Store Tea page.
Is Chai Tea Latte Good For You
I know a lot of people are wondering if Chai Tea Latte is a healthy drink. For the most part the answer to this question will depend on a specific Chai Tea Latte variety you are consuming and how much sugar you use. But because today I am sharing Starbucks Chai Tea Latte, my answer will be connected to this specific drink. So I would say that this Chai Tea Latte is somewhat healthy. The healthy part is the spice infused tea. The benefits of these spices include its anti-inflammatory effects that can help ease arthritis, preventing and treating nausea, aiding digestion, and reducing the risk of heart disease. The unhealthy part is sugar. One 12 oz. cup of the Chai Tea I am sharing with you, contains about 18g. of sugar . I recommend treating this drink as a dessert and consume it in moderation.
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