‘Chai’ is the name for tea in India. Here in the US, we’ve come to associate it with tea combined with spices, but that’s actually a specific type of tea: Masala chai. I learned that and other fun facts the other week when helping an Indian coworker, Anita, with a digital publishing issue.
Masala chai, she told me, is typically enjoyed on special occasions. Regular chai is prepared stove top in a sauce pan with the addition of milk and sugar only. Other variations include elaichi chai (cardamom tea) and adrak chai (ginger tea).
Anita told me how to make real chai — not the ‘sissy chai latte’ (her words) you find in most places. It’s surprisingly easy.
I went to my nearest Indian grocery store to get the ingredients and was amazed at the selection of tea they offered — mostly Assam, of course. Assam is what’s used to prepare chai, and popular tea brands used in India include Lipton Yellow Label and Brooke Bond Red Label. I bet PG Tips would work fine too.
You may use any type of Assam tea, but I wouldn’t bother with premium, high-priced teas for this purpose because the tea serves as a background or basis for other flavors. Even if you prepare chai without any spices, you’re still adding milk and sugar.
I brought home Brooke Bond Red Label loose tea (in addition to other unnecessary impulse purchases, including other teas and biscuits). Originally, I was going to prepare regular chai but ended up making adrak (ginger) chai because I felt the symptoms of a cold coming on and thought the ginger would help sooth my scratchy throat … and it did.
Here are the ingredients needed for one serving of adrack chai (you can easily adjust for more if needed):
- Assam tea (loose leaf, one teaspoon)
- Ginger root
- Water, one cup
- Milk
- Sugar
Cut a few (I use 4 – 5 quarter-inch thick) slices of ginger and place them in a saucepan with the water. Bring the water to a boil. Just before boiling, add one teaspoon of loose tea. Reduce to a simmer and add milk and sugar to taste. Let simmer for 2 – 3 minutes or until the tea reaches a rich brown color. Pour the tea through a strainer (a tea strainer is a good thing to have on hand) into your cup.
This tea is so rich and delicious, it’s almost a dessert unto itself.