Tips To Make The Perfect Karak Chai
How much water and milk you use, is up to you. I prefer more water to milk and my husband prefers the opposite. Handy, I know.
Make sure the water is simmering before you add the spices and ginger.
Adjust spices to your taste. You will come to understand your personal preference when you make it regularly.
Once that milk begins to simmer, do not move and watch the pot like a hawk. If for some reason , you decide to take a small walk, say.. to the fridge, take your binoculars with you and sprint back as soon as you hear the sizzling threat of overflow.
You can toast the spices beforehand in a dry pan to bring out the aroma.
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.
Top 10 Best Chai Teas In The Uk 2021
Chai has to be the ultimate reassuring hot drink! The traditional Indian beverage also known as masala chai mingles the caffeine kick of black tea with a divine combination of cardamom, clove, cinnamon, and ginger giving many health benefits and providing the perfect beverage at any time of the day.
However, it can be tough to find the right blend with authentic flavours that haven’t been lost by way of British tastes. We created this article to help you out, and we’ve ranked the top 10 best chai tea bags, latte powders, and loose leaf teas available from Amazon, eBay, Tesco, Asda, and Waitrose. Get ready to make your teapot tingle while celebrating the glory of chai’s Indian roots!
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Best Chai Brands In 2021 Tea Bags Loose Leaf And Instant Tea
Traditional Indian homemade chai is one of the most delicious and flavorful drinks I can imagine. It is prepared with black tea, milk, and a variety of spices that have many health benefits.
Read this article to find out what are thebest chai brands for preparing this spicy and tasty drink at home!
Over the years I have tried many different chai blends. I found that only a few of them were worth buying again.
Whether you are looking for chai in tea bags or as loose leaf or instant tea, you can find something you will love in this guide.
Here is a list of chai products reviewed in this article:
What Are The Ingredients To Make Masala Chai
The main ingredients to make Masala Tea are very basic and pretty much the same in all recipes. What varies is the quantity of spices and spices used to make the chai. Some like to add lots of ginger , others lots of cardamom and others may prefer only whole spices.
Tea Ingredients:
- Milk Whatever milk you normally use will work
- Sugar or Alternative Sugars/Syrups
- Tea leaves or Tea Bags
- Fresh Ginger I grate a huge bag and keep it in the freezer
- Green Cardamom pods slightly cracked open
- Cloves
- Cinnamon
- Black Peppercorns
If you are using an already prepared Chai Masala powder, you can skip the spices and just grate in fresh ginger.
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Best For Bedtime: Traditional Medicinals Organic Nighty Night Extra Relaxation Valerian Tea
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Acquired taste
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Several cups recommended for best results
Some tea drinkers enjoy a caffeinated cup early in the morning to get going, but many others prefer a soothing cup at night to unwind. One tea to sip before bed is Traditional Medicinals Organic Nighty Night Extra Relaxation Valerian Tea.
This widely available and caffeine-free tea has so many wonderful reviews. The brand recommends drinking two or three cups late in the day and at least one cup 30 minutes before bed.
There’s one thing to keep in mind, however. This tea is certainly an acquired taste. Some customers dont love the hints of mint and licorice, but they may continue drinking the tea anyway once it’s part of their daily nighttime routine.
Form: Tea bags | Size: 16 tea bags | Origin: Herbs sourced from various locations | Caffeinated: No
The best tea will always depend on personal preference, but Twinings English Breakfast is likely to satisfy thanks to its strong, traditional flavor, along with a low price point. If you’re looking to shake up your tea routine, however, you can test out this smooth ceremonial grade matcha from Matcha Konomi .
How To Make Chai Tea
One of our favorite things about chai tea is that its fully customizable. Want it spicier? Add more pepper. Too sweet? Tone down the sugar. Our chai tea recipe is totally dialed in to make and enjoy from first steep, but that doesnt mean you cant adjust to suit your own tastes if youd like. Its also an all-season sipper. We find ourselves wanting something warm and cozy on these cold, crisp mornings, so we drink it warm. But, we also enjoy it chilled, over ice, while sitting at our dining room tables, soaking in the warm, rays on these sunny, afternoons.
- Serve hot: it is a powerful soul warmer that will snug you up from head to toe.
- Serve cold: it will remind you there are warmer days ahead.
- However you drink it, our favorite recipe for a chai latte is a simple 1:1 ratio of chai tea concentrate to milk.
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More Popular Indian Recipes
- 4ozwhole milk
- granulated sugarto taste
- 1heaping tablespoon of black teaempty out tea bags to make a tablespoon if you don’t buy loose leaves
Add any of the following:
- 4cardamom podssmashed with side of a knife
- small piece of cinnamon stick
- 1/4″ coin of fresh ginger
- pinchof fennel seedsabout 10 seeds
Chai Tea Buyers Guide
If youre not a fan of traditional teas, simply because youre looking for something sweeter, then youll love chai.
But what is chai exactly?
Traditionally, it contains sweetener, milk, spices, and black tea. The word chai is actually Hindi for tea and can be used to refer to a variety of teas made in India.
In the western world, when someone refers to chai, they usually mean masala chai, which is Hindi for spiced tea. This is the type of tea you will find in pretty much every tea house or coffee shop in America.
There are a variety of chai recipes found all over the world and it can differ from culture to culture or even continent to continent. The traditional ingredients include a mixture of strong spices like black peppercorns, ginger, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and of course, black tea.
Tea used is generally brewed strong. Milk is added, along with a sweetener like honey or sugar. But the standard milk-based drink we often find in the west doesnt have much in common with the chai recipes youll come across in India.
Note that drinking chai tea will break a fast most of the time. This is due to the sweetener added. Perhaps a small cup would be fine, but once you go over 50 calories consumed, your fast is broken.
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Ginger Root: An Ingredient Used
Ginger Root is a spice that requires little introduction. Unlike countless other spices of Asian origin, this particular herb of the Zingiberaceae family has been familiar to the west for at least 2,000 years.
Nowadays, we use ginger in a wide variety of household and commercial foods, including, of course, Chai Tea. It has refined tangy notes which often stand out in any recipe.
Traditional Ayurvedic texts refer to Ginger Root Tea as a remedy for many ailments prevalent in ancient Indian society. Like cardamom, it is a tridoshic.
Still, most commonly, this herb works with the Pitta dosha in aiding digestion. The same indeed applies to its modern-day use, with scientists recognising its ability to reduce intestinal gas, flatulence and bloating.
Turmeric: An Ingredient Used
Turmeric goes by a very telling nickname: The Spice of Life. It belongs to the Zingiberaceae family like ginger and cardamom. In terms of its taste, it has sharp, earthy, bitter notes – notes, we hasten to add, that make for an excellent addition to Chai.
Some may also choose to enjoy Turmeric Root Tea as a standalone Herbal Tea. Whatever you decide, youre in for a treat.
Turmeric is a tridoshic, assisting digestion, supporting the immune system and even detoxifying the liver. From a scientific standpoint, it has greater potential still.
Due to its prevalence in antioxidants, particularly a compound called curcumin, Turmeric Tea Benefits can combat free radicals in the body. This ultimately enables it to reduce the risk of developing several chronic conditions.
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With Specialist Advice From Tea And Lifestyle Blogger Rachael Kinsella
Rachael has been a writer, editor and marketing communications specialist for some 18 years, writing about all things tea and lifestyle for her blog “Tea with Rachael” for over a decade. She loves tea and enjoys trying different types of tea, as well as pairing teas with food and fun things to see and do.
Keep up-to-date with all things tea and lifestyle-related on Rachael’s blog, , and and discover some new tea blends that might just become your new favourite!
Cloves: An Ingredient Used
Cloves are flower buds from the Syzygium aromaticum tree, which in turn belongs to the Myrtaceae family. They provide one of the most potent flavours in the world of spice, best described as strong, pungent, sweet yet slightly astringent. Some also note their warming sensation on the palate, particularly when added to a Chai Tea blend.
According to Ayurvedic beliefs, cloves balance the Vata and Pitta doshas. It enhances circulation, digestion and metabolism, while also offering relief from stomach complaints such as gas, bloating and nausea.
Furthermore, modern science recognises the potential of cloves outside of holistic healing. Indeed, studies suggest that it might regulate blood sugar, thus reducing diabetes risks.
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Best Unsweetened: One Stripe Chai Co 32oz Unsweetened Chai Concentrate
While masala chai typically is assertive in its tea and spice, sometimes necessity means skipping the sweet. The majority of masala chai concentrates in the market are all pre-sweetened. Instead of going for pre-sweetened sugar-free versions, you can opt for One Stripe Chai Co.’s unsweetened masala chai concentrate. Its aroma yields a fresh citrusy spice bouquet for a cup of robust black tea with a sharp but not abrasive spice profile. It’s available in 32-ounce glass bottles.
For the green tea fan who still wants the lively spices of a masala chai, consider the bold green chai from Republic of Tea. Made with organic Indian green tea mixed with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and clove, this tea is flavor-forward, and the spices heat up the throat and mouth. Its a well-balanced blend, good on its own or with a splash of milk. It’s available in a chai stackable trio of tins or a 36-bag pack.
Rooibos is a wonder herb. This spindly red bush leaf that originates in South Africa lends a tea flavor without the caffeine. MEM Tea Imports herbal chai is the caffeine-free masala chai that rose to the top with its well-rounded bouquet and flavor profile, warming with spices, but subtle honeyed notes of rooibos peeking through. It’s available in 2-ounce to 1-pound sizes of loose tea.
Rishi Organic Loose Leaf Masala Chai
Our Verdict: Best overall and best loose leaf
If youre an avid loose leaf drinker, then youll love this latest option by Rishi Masala, which produces one of the most authentic Indian-style products on the market. It contains organic black pepper, cloves, ginger root, cardamom, cinnamon, and black tea.
This tea has a powerful spicy flavor that any serious tea drinker will appreciate. Since its a loose leaf blend, youll need to use a strainer to prevent tea leaves and dust from floating in your cup. For some, the blend may be too strong and spicy, but if you prefer the Indian-style chai over the western, youll appreciate the spice and the all-organic ingredients and earthy flavor.
Pros
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Blue Lotus Traditional Masala Chai
Our Verdict: Best powder
This tea was the winner of the 2019 Sofi award, due to its authentic, powerful blend and Blue Lotus is one of the best herbal tea brands on the market. This Blue Lotus offering features a traditional Indian blend made out of one hundred percent certified organic spices.
It contains organic, flash dried black tea that offers a richer, fuller flavor. Since it doesnt contain any additives, its carb, sugar, and gluten-free. In addition to the black tea, it contains ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, black pepper, cinnamon and cloves.
Pros
- Powdered tea
Cons
- Powdered tea
If youre looking for a more authentic tasting tea, this product by Blue Lotus is a great option. For the serious tea drinker, the fact that the tea is processed into powder may be a drawback.
Many tea connoisseurs snub their noses at anything that is not loose leaf tea. And it is true that loose leaves do offer the freshest flavor.
However, this blend is not made from ground-up tea leaves, like many powdered teas.
Instead, it is naturally brewed and then dried, so the powder is actually brewed tea with the water removed. It retains the original flavor and is more environmentally friendly, since it weighs less and also requires less packaging.
However you feel about the powdered form, the Blue Lotus Chai blend offers a rich, full, earthy flavor that tastes great on it own. Or you can customize it with the sweeteners and milk of your choosing.
What Are The Benefits Of Masala Chai Tea
Chai tea is a fragrant, spicy tea that may help boost heart health, reduce blood sugar levels, aid digestion and help with weight loss. Although most of these health benefits are backed by science, its worth noting that they are generally linked to the ingredients used in chai tea rather than chai tea itself.
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Where To Buy The Best Chai Tea Powder
Where is the best place to buy chai tea powder ? This is the question that many customers ask when they need to buy the best product.
Currently, on the market, many places are advertised as reputable places to sell the best products.
However, in reality, that is not the case. It’s all just advertising policy. Therefore, in this article, we will provide you with some of the best places to buy products.
1. The best chai tea powder is sold on reputable online sales websitesa
The best chai tea powder are sold on reputable online sales sites like Amazon.com, so there are many options to suit different tastes.
You can buy millions of products from all over the world without leaving your home. You can get them delivered right to your doorstep! It’s very convenient and sometimes even has free shipping.
With a few clicks on your computer screen, you will be able to find exactly the best product you are looking for at an affordable price.
2. The best chai tea powder is sold at major malls
The best chai tea powder are sold in major department stores. You can find all the best products you need and more in one place, which makes shopping so much easier.
Most customers prefer to have multiple stores to choose from as it allows them to find the best chai tea powder to suit their needs.
3. Source
Caf Escapes Chai Latte K
Café Escapes Chai Latte has great flavor, a rich and creamy texture, and spiciness that carries more than a little hint of the exotic. When we say that a good chai latte is best savored, this is what weve got in mind. In fact, you might have trouble telling the difference between this one and the chai latte you get from the pricey coffee house down the block.
You might also have trouble telling them apart when it comes to the price, however. K-cup drinks are already pretty expensive compared to standard brewing techniques, and this one is among the most expensive when it comes to per-unit price.
Amazons foray into the K-cup market has been well received by consumers. Like most things the company tries, the Solimo Chai Latte pods are a well-done effort that has produced great products at a budget-friendly price. It hits most of those notes and is one of the creamiest chai lattes we considered.
One high point is the price. Of the K-cup brands we looked at, this one clocks in with the best per-unit price. If you want a great chai latte but need to stay on a budget, Solimos brew is the one for you.
We did think it could be a little more flavorful, which is why we dropped it to the runner-up rank. As ubiquitous as Amazon is, its also the only standard retail outlet where you can buy these pods, so the distribution is limited to one source.
- Taste could be more robust
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The Best Tea For Chai Latte
Loose-leaf black tea is best for brewing chai for lattes. Ideally, it is made with an Assam or Ceylon tea, but English Breakfast or other black tea blends work wonderfully too. Loose-leaf tea is generally of a higher quality than bags, with large pieces and less dust, which can lead to bitter or tannic tea. Since we have to strain out the spices before making our chai latte anyway, bagged tea would be no time-saver here.
That being said, if bagged black tea is all you have on hand or is one you particularly love, then by all means, use it! Youll want six bags for each batch of chai.