Masala chai encyclopedia topics

Terminology

Plain chai

Chai (Arabic: شَاي, Hindi: चाय, Urdu, Persian: چاى, Russian: чай, Turkish: çay , ultimately from the Chinese word chá (茶) ) is the word for tea generally in Asia, North and East Africa and Eastern Europe. Cognates in other languages include the Bengali, Gujarati, and Punjabi chāh, and the Marathi chahā. For the etymology of chai and related words see etymology and cognates of tea.

In much of South Asia, chai is more popular than coffee, and street vendors called "chai wallahs" (sometimes spelled "chaiwalas") are a common sight in many South Asian neighborhoods. It is also popular in Irani cafés.

Spiced tea

For many English speakers, the term "chai" is always synonymous with "masala chai". The redundant term chai tea is sometimes used to indicate spiced milky tea as distinct from other types of tea. Numerous coffee houses use the term chai latte for their version to indicate that the steamed milk of a normal cafe latte is being flavored with a spiced tea concentrate instead of with espresso.

Preparation methods

Masala chai can be prepared in many ways. The most traditional method is by boiling loose leaf tea with sweeteners and whole spices in a mixture of milk and water. Indian markets all over the world sell various brands of "chai masala," (Hindi चाय मसाला [chāy masālā], "tea spice" ), though many households blend their own. The prolonged high heat results in a much more robust beverage than the relatively delicate flavors obtained from other tea preparation methods, which usually steep tea leaves in hot (but not boiling) water which is allowed to cool to room temperature. The solid tea and spice residues are strained off before serving.

This procedure can be varied according to taste or local custom: some households may combine all of the ingredients together at the start, bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately strain and serve; others may leave the mixture simmering for a longer amount of time, or begin by bringing the tea leaves to a boil and adding the spices toward the end (or vice-versa).

Some American supermarkets now sell bottles of premixed "chai spice" alongside their dried herbs and other spices. Unlike Indian spice mixtures, the American ones are generally made from powdered spices (and sometimes sugar) and can be added at the last minute to an already-brewed cup of tea as there is no need (or way) to strain off the solids.

Liquid "chai concentrates" have become very popular for their convenience, as these spiced, sweetened tea-based syrups merely require dilution with milk, water, or both to create a tasty hot or cold beverage.

Dry instant mixes and liquid concentrates can both be easily replicated at home. A simple base of unsweetened iced-tea powder can be tailored to individual taste with the desired amounts of powdered spices, sugar, and (if desired for convenience and mouthfeel) dry nonfat milk and dry nondairy creamer; the result can be mixed with hot water to produce instant chai masala. (Cold water may create undissolved lumps, especially from dry nonfat milk.)

Similarly, a liquid concentrate can be made by brewing an unusually concentrated pot of highly spiced tea, so that the dilution of a small amount into a cup of hot water or a glass of cold milk results in roughly the same concentration of tea as in a normally-proportioned brew; e.g., to make a syrup from which one ounce will suffice to make one eight-ounce cup of normal chai when diluted, brew tea (and the proportional quantity of spices) at eight times normal concentration.

Components

There is no fixed recipe or preparation method for masala chai and many families have their own special versions of the tea. The key to making good tea is to leave the tea leaves (or tea dust) in the hot/boiling water long enough to get the flavor of the tea but not too long. Excessive exposure of tea to heat will release the bitter tannins in the tea leaves. Because of the huge range of possible variations, masala chai can be considered a class of tea rather than a specific kind. But all masala chai has the following four basic components:

Tea

The base tea is usually a strong black tea, such as Assam, so that the various spices and sweeteners do not overpower it. CTC-grade teas are often used, as they infuse quickly and strongly. However, a wide variety of teas can be and are used to make chai. Most chai in India proper is brewed with strong black tea, but Kashmiri chai is brewed with gunpowder tea. Sometimes the drink is prepared with tisanes such as rooibos, and even with the South American beverage yerba mate, though these innovations are entirely Western.

Sweetener

Plain white sugar is sufficient, although individual tastes may favour the caramelised notes from Demarara or other brown sugars, or the more complex slight acidity of honey. A surprisingly large quantity of sugar may be required to bring out the flavour of the spices; one recipe uses three tablespoons of sugar in 3.5 cups of chai.

Milk

Usually, whole milk is used for its richness, but any milkfat concentration or non-dairy milk (soy, rice, etc) will do. Generally, masala chai is made by having 1/4 to 1/2 parts milk mixed with water and then heated close to or to boiling temperature. In Western countries, eggnog is sometimes used in chai during the Christmas season.

Spices

Traditionally, Masala Chai is a bracing, strongly spiced beverage brewed with so-called "warm" spices. Most masala chai incorporates one or more of the following: cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, star anise, peppercorn, and cloves. Other possible ingredients include nutmeg, chocolate, cocoa, vanilla, liquorice or saffron.

Cardamom is a dominant note in traditional chai masala, to the extent that it would be hard to classify a tea as being chai without it. For example, cinnamon (ex. cinnamon/apple tea), vanilla (ex. tea with vanilla extract or flavour), or star anise (ex. thai tea alone) would not make the tea a "chai tea," as there has to make something specific to make a tea qualify as chai. If the tea doesn't have cardamom in it, then it would have to use other common Indian spices for it to be classified as chai. For instance, ginger, black pepper, and especially cloves are used in Indian masala mixtures and cuisine. Having ginger or black pepper is considered important as it gives chai a slightly spicy flavour. In India, for example, fresh ginger is usually used. Chai recipe

The green tea-based Kashmiri version of chai is brewed with almonds, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, and sometimes saffron.

Many Western commercial preparations such as Oregon Chai are strongly flavoured with vanilla and honey, with spices relegated to a far more minor role. For example, some American brands such as Tazo mix classic Indian spices with vanilla and anise. This results in a far mellower beverage with a markedly different flavour, especially since vanilla and chocolate are generally not used in authentic chai masala.