That’s right, we are still talking about our favourite beverage, Chai. Chai is my all-time fav drink, this is mainly because coffee just doesn’t work for me, I get dizzy, high on heart beats etc. So, that is one of the reasons as to why I prefer Chai over coffee. Also, with Chai I can experiment and have different flavours added to it.
India has rich fields across the entire country, which is the reason India is known for its treasures–spices and tea leaves apart from other valuable resources. India is the second largest tea producer and exporter in the world. Ayurveda is practised in almost every households of India. Traditional Indian kitchens has utilised the medical benefits by all the different spices and offered them all in one drink. The taste of Indian Chai (sweet and milky) helps disguise the stronger and more bitter flavours of some of the medicinal additives, while other, more pleasant flavours such as cardamom, cloves and ginger add a pleasing flavour and aroma to the tea along with its health benefits. Coming from such background, no doubt Chai is still my any-time to go drink.
The Indian Chai made using different spices is called `Masala Chai´. And today I will be sharing my style of making masala chai —
Ingredients: For 2 cups
Basil Leaves: 2-3 leaves
Cardamom: 2 (remove the shell, use the shell as well)
// alternate: cardamom powder can also be used
Cardamom powder: ½ tbs
Cloves: 2
Ginger: 1-1 ½ inch (Grate the ginger)
Lemon Grass: 1 leaf or 2-3 small pcs
Mint Leaves: 4-5 leaves
Tea powder: 3tbs (Tea powder brand, I use: SOCIETY)
Sugar: to taste or 4tbs for 2 cups
1 cup: water
1 cup: milk
Recipe
- Use a tea vessel if you have any, or use any small vessel with good height, as the tea rises while boiling.
- Keep the vessel on a medium flame and add 1 cup of water to the vessel.
- Now, add all the spices (mint, lemon grass, basil, cloves, ginger, cardamom shell) and most importantly the tea powder to the water except cardamom.
- Wait till the water comes to a boil.
- Now, add 1 cup of milk to the boiling mixture.
- Let the tea cook for next 5 mins or till its next boil and rise.
- As the tea starts boiling, lower the flame and cook till it gets brownish in colour.
- Add sugar and cardamom to the tea.
- Allow it to cook for more 5 mins.
- You will notice the aroma of cardamom getting stronger.
- Let the tea rise for the final time and off the gas.
- Sieve the tea out.
Great job! the tea is ready, have a sip and enjoy the rich flavours of your Masala Chai.
That was quick and easy. You can enjoy your hot Chai with some Indian afternoon snacks (nashta) or with plain butter salted cookies. I am sure you are loving the aroma and the flavours of the tea, with that note, I leave you, to enjoy the magical Masala Chai in peace. But do let me know, how did you find my Masala Chai recipe.
Did you try this Recipe?
Share with us your experience and photos, your reviews are valuable to us.
Author: Kinnari
Welcome! I am Kinnari, a 20 something Engineer from Pune, India. Presently residing in Germany, which got me an opportunity to explore the world around me! Staying far from my family also got me a chance to step into the kitchen and put my apron on! Altogether a big opportunity to share my experiences with you!
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