MASALA CHAI WITH WHOLE SPICES

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Many thoughts appear in the mind, but it is the heart that holds one and not another. ~ Dorothy Hunt

Call me a late bloomer, but it wasn’t until I went to India and experienced Chai firsthand that I fell in love with it. Now, there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t either make myself a cup, or pine for it.

Yes, I’ve 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 can’t 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 that’s why in India, one says Masala Chai – or spiced tea.

Good to know, right? 😉



INGREDIENTS IN CHAI

There are typically four components in Masala Chai and the secret here is to find the perfect balance between them.

  1. Black Tea
  2. Whole Spices
  3. Milk (or nut milk)
  4. Sweetener

WHAT TEA DO YOU USE FOR CHAI?

  • The base of the Masala Chai is typically black tea. Most strong, rich, dark black teas will work well in Masala Chai- something robust enough to hold up to all the flavorful spices. The tea need not be expensive.
  • (I prefer to use a high-quality organic, loose black tea that I get in the bulk section of my grocery store.  I use about a heaping tablespoon per serving.)
  • Assam, Darjeeling is often used in India because they are grown there. Typical brands used are Lipton Yellow Label, and Taj Mahal, and PG Tips.  Some households will custom blend their own teas to create their own signature flavor. This can be a very personal thing.
  • You can also use  1-2 black tea bags.
  • Feel free to use decaf black tea.

What makes Masala Chai authentic, is the use of spices. One thing is for certain, every single person in India probably has their own unique combination of spices they prefer in their masala chai and there is no one “right” way. It is very subjective.

WHAT SPICES ARE USED IN MASALA CHAI?

Chai Wallahs- the street vendors who make masala chai, all have their own unique blend of chai spices as well- and as you can probably guess, I was obsessed with watching them make their creations.

These are the chai spices I saw used the most in India:  

I especially love the green cardamom pods I picked up in India. So here is a starting point for you but feel free to improvise and fine-tune to your own taste.

HOW TO MAKE MASALA CHAI

  1. LIGHTLY CRUSH SPICES. 

  2.  ADD THE SPICES TO A SMALL POT WITH 1 CUP OF WATER. 
  3. ADD THE TEA. 

  4. BRING TO A SIMMER.

    Then immediately turn off the heat and let it steep for 10 minutes. Boiling the tea will make it bitter, so just bring it to a boil, then turn the heat off.


  5. ADD THE MILK.

    WHAT TYPE OF MILK TO USE IN MASALA CHAI?

    • In India, whole milk is typically used in Masala Chai.
    • For a plant-based chai, try almond milk or oat milk – both work great.
    • If you like a rich masala chai- add one full cup of milk. If you like a thinner chai, you can cut the milk with water – for example, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water.
    • So in a nutshell, if you like a richer, thicker tea, use more milk (or even use all milk instead of the water) simmering the spices and tea, right in the milk. Or if you like a lighter masala chai, cut the milk with water. Up to you- a personal preference.

  6. HEAT AND SWEETEN

Bring the milk and tea just to a boil again, then add sweetener.

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 😉 If it tastes overly bitter, it needs more sweetener.

7. STRAIN AND SERVE.

HOW TO SERVE IT

Yes, it is very typical to serve chai in a glass (vs. a mug) in India, leaving some room at the top to hold the glass.

MASALA CHAI RECIPE

Ingredients

  1. 5–7 green cardamom pods
  2. 3–4 whole cloves
  3. 1–2 star anise (optional )
  4. 5–7 peppercorns (optional)
  5. 1 cup of water
  6. 2–3 slices ginger (or more! skins ok)
  7. ½ cinnamon stick– split lengthwise ( use your fingers to separate)
  8. 1–2 tablespoons loose leaf black tea, (or 1–2 tea bags) Or sub decaf black tea
  9. 1 cup milk of your choice- organic whole milk, almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, cashew milk, hemp milk ( I like unsweetened, vanilla-flavored almond or oat milk) See notes for “ratio”.
  10. 2–3 teaspoons (or more or less) maple syrup, honey, sugar or alternative. (Sugar is traditional, but I prefer maple. )

Instructions

  1. Lightly crush cardamom pods, whole cloves, star anise and peppercorns, and place in a small pot with 1 cup of water. Add ginger, cinnamon and black tea.  I like to muddle the ginger a bit right in the pot.
  2. Bring to a boil and turn the off heat (don’t continue to boil the tea, it may get bitter) and let it steep at least 10 minutes…. or for several hours. The longer, the more flavor!
  3. Add your choice of milk. Bring to a simmer once more, turn off the heat.
  4. Stir in your choice of sweetener, taste, adding more sweetener to taste. If it tastes bitter, you need more sweetener.  Strain into a chai glass or mug.
  5. Feel the love. xoxo

Notes

TEA: Any dark, rich, robust black tea will work best here. Assam, Darjeeling, etc.  You can also make the tea part as strong as you like. Start with one tablespoon loose leaf tea and add more according to your taste. Use loose-leaf or tea bags.

SPICES: Whole spices are preferred here but in a pinch feel free to add or sub ground spices to taste. You can add the ground spices at the end if you like.

MILK RATIO: Instead of the full cup of milk, I typically use a ratio of  ½ water and ½ milk. Many prefer the richness of a full cup milk, so feel free to adjust to your taste.

BATCH MAKING: You can make a big batch of the masala chai (without the milk) and refrigerate for up to 4 days, and heat up with the milk and sweetener when ready to serve.

You can add more whole spices and more black tea for an even stronger more concentrated version.

UPDATE: While in Northern India this past month, I had this Chai with the addition of a big handful of fresh mint leaves (simmering in the chai). ABSOLUTELY Delicious! Give it a try!


Source:
JAN 2, 2019
Feasting at home

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