A visit to India is an explosion of the senses. Wispy pink and green fabrics floating in the breeze, inviting scents from sidewalk food vendors and the cadence of horns on busy city streets … sights and sounds which meld together in a harmonious and fantastically alluring dance.
Of all these sensory pleasures, none is as simple and intoxicating as India’s magical elixir – chai (tea). Swirling together an ideal combination of sweet and spicy, a warm cup of masala chai is a veritable treat for all five senses.
Use loose tea leaves or powder. You can even use prepackaged tea bags, though it’s more exciting to see the tea swirling around …
A beverage drunk by millions in India, it is expertly prepared by master Chai-wallahs (tea makers) in road-side stalls and trains, and an institution throughout the country. As anyone who’s ridden a train in India can attest to, hearing the elongated calls of “chaiiiii”, is music to your ears – a melody signaling a delicious pause in the repetitive humming and hissing of a moving train.
After travelling around India for months on trains, (in the days before the invention of ipads, iphone apps and portable dvd players), listening for the distinct calls of chai wallahs and rating who had the most unique and enticing call to chai became great fun. Clearly, 36 hour train rides make people delirious…
Nowadays, modern coffee shops in the West, eager to cash in on the popularity of chai, have begun offering their own under-spiced and over priced versions. The very idea of these ‘gourmet beverages’ is so contrary to India’s simple chai traditions, and certainly far removed from the humble, but delicious version offered and accessible to the masses.
If you are craving that Chai you had on a Kolkata or Mumbai side street, or are curious to know for yourself what all the fuss is about, spare yourself a trip to a gourmet coffee shop or anywhere that refers to it as “Chai Tea” (literal translation: “Tea Tea”). Instead, step inside your own kitchen!
With a few simple ingredients and a little know-how, you can recreate the authentic Indian flavours on your very own stove top. (see recipe below)
Some people grind the spices to a powder, but I prefer them whole. This way they don’t slip through the sieve!
There are many variations of Chai, depending upon the region and your personal spice preference, but most versions contain tea leaves or tea powder, water, milk and sugar (sweetener) and a blend of the following essential spices:
- Cardamom
- Cinnamon
- Clove
- Black Pepper
Some people also like to add ginger, anise or star anise, but they’re not essential. Some use condensed milk for a thicker, sweeter flavour, but again, this is a variation.
My Indo-European fusion breakfast … tea & croissant in my Austrian souvenir tea cup!
Sure, making chai yourself may not be exactly like buying it from that chai wallah, with his unreal pouring skills, but throw on some Indian music, close your eyes, picture your favourite spot in India and let the sweet, soul warming flavours take you back … or somewhere you’ve never been before.
Straight From the Motherland: Recipe for Authentic Indian Chai
Ingredients for 2 cups of Chai
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2-3 tsp black tea leaves/powder (if you don’t have loose tea, use one or two bags, just cut off any paper tags)
- 6-8 crushed green cardamom pods
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 4 cloves
- 2 black peppercorn (more for a spicier flavor)
- 1 cup milk
- 3 tsp sugar (add more for a sweeter taste)
How to Prepare It
- Bring the water to a boil in a small pot
- Crush the spices (some people grind them to a powder, but this is not necessary)
- Once boiling, add the tea and crushed spices & boil for another few minutes
- Add milk and bring back up to the boil
- As soon as it bubbles up to a boil, remove from heat (boiling too long will cause the milk to overflow from the pot or scorch on the bottom and this will not be good … so make sure you survey it)
- Pour the thickened mixture through a strainer to remove the tea leaves and spices & enjoy piping hot!
Tip: Prepare it in a beat up stainless steel or old copper pot – it’ll just make it feel more authentic because that’s how it’s typically prepared in India!
sucrésalédeluxe 
Wah! Maan Gaye ji!