Tealicious Masala Chai Tea Recipe

I remember coming across a masala chai packet in Ahmedabad where it is most popular. The Gujjus love tea and the only competitor is the ice cream not beer mind you. Gujarat is a dry state and the only way one can consume alcoholic drinks is through permits available for outsiders and for those on health grounds.  

Hence spiced tea is very popular. In Ahmadabad, tea is virtually Mary's Little Lamb as where ever you go the stalls are waiting for you. There are many stalls with small stools selling dark liquor along with butter buns and you name it.  Collegians, Majnoos, and Businessmen all look for these seats and while away their time in a meaning full or junk banter every day.   

Chai Thelas on the dusty desert roads...absolute fun.  

Anyway coming back to masala chai I discovered a few ingredients which suit my cup very well. 

Here goes 

Dry Ginger One Piece (Saunt)
Clove        ( 1 or 2)    

Few Peppercorns

One Almond 

One Pistachio 

One or Two Cardamom Pods 

Jaiphal Scrapings (Nutmeg) 

Cinnamon Powder in small quantity 

Licorice small quantity 

Add this in proportion as stated above and taste. I have been vague on proportions to cater to individual tastes. Try adding other suitable spices like saunf etc. 

You can add this to the brew and even milk for children. It is wonderful cough medicine as well. 

Chai! How it began in India

The English popularized tea as a hot beverage but it was the Indians who accorded it a mass following.  In fact they embraced it with so much fervor and zeal that its consumption in the country surpasses its production. A large quantity of leaf is imported from countries like Sri Lanka, Kenya and so in.

Its relation building and bonding mechanism out does the drink mates in the bar. Many a deals are sealed over a cup of tea hot steaming one at that. In India it is customary to serve chai to official visitors of fellow business men. 

In earlier times this beverage was considered as a medicine in the subcontinent. But as the popularity increased the leaf turned into a beverage unsurpassed by any.   I remember elders telling me of popularity of milk and jelebies as customary offerings in stalls in India. At that time tea was not in the reckoning at all. 

It was the British who made the brew popular in the country. Themselves fond of this hot beverage they promoted its cultivation in India and developed a vast market as well. Indian Tea Association owned by the  British succeeded in conversion of masses into avid tea drinkers during the nineteen hundred. 

But the real boost for tea consumption came about during the  World War I. The  Tea Campaign  initiated stalls at factories, coal mines, and  mills. This was eventually followed by the tea canteens.
Railways was another booster the Tea Association equipped small contractors with kettles and cups and packets of tea. In the beginning these vendors worked in Punjab, Northwest Provinces and Bengal railway stations. 

The vendors in spite of careful guidance the masters paid no heed and made the hot beverage their own way. This is how chai came into being added with lot of milk and sugar and sometimes jaggery.   Till this day the loud call of the vendors Chai!Garam Chai can be heard at each and every railway station.  

The next step was to set up stalls in large towns which was resisted by small vendors who brought about a new innovation. They added flavors and spices in order to out bid the larger stalls.

It was at Kanpur that spice tea came into being with the add mixture consisting of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves etc. This tool place in a Kanpur Mill canteen. Much popular all over the World this was later called the masala chai.         

The significance of flavor additives in tea blends

Tea is said to be the world’s oldest among the popular beverages since a long period of time. People have been drinking tea since many centuries in Asian countries. Recently they have also realized the fact that the tea can also be made better by adding various kinds of flavors and spices to it. This imagination been made to come true by the regular drinkers. Nowadays tea is available in every possible flavor from far and wide.

The best way of adding the fragrance to make tea more delicious is by adding various herbs and essential oils which are edible aromatic compounds. The Masala Chai or Spiced tea  is getting popular among the customers all over the world thanks to unique aroma and taste. .

Deep knowledge of flavors

Understanding flavoring materials, spices and herbs is essential for creating spicy blends. Though this is the task of the experts amateurs can also create magical blends.  For gaining information on flavored tea people must first get to know the information about the processing of the leaf at estates and plants. As the matter of the fact the processing plays a very important role in the production of the various kinds of leaves. This kind of the processing consists of various steps. The tea companies do not make any kind of the compromise with the quality. In the gardens they only choose the topmost buds and the leaves from the plants. All of the plucked leaves are taken to wither and then crushed for twenty four hours. The withered leaves are crushed in between the metal rollers. The additives are added to the blend for increasing the flavor, taste and aroma.

Different flavored tea

The idea of the flavored tea started in China. This place has been the birthplace of the flavored tea drinking. Since ages different types of flavors are in use creating a wide varieties of blends. Some of the notable varieties are masala chai, herb flavored blends and those containing essential oils.  The leaf is fermented during the process and is exposed to various degree of sunshine.

After the plucking of the leaves they are fermented in order to accord a strong flavor and bigger size. The black tea itself possesses the strong and heavy flavor this is quite evident whence we consume strong teas available in the market. Hence flavoring black teas is a greater challenge than the lighter versions like green and Oolong leaf. Some plants are cultivated in the vicinity of plums and cinnamon trees. This accords a distinct flavor to the leaves which is preferred by the connoisseurs.

Tea Flavors

Most talked about beverage in the World tea comes along in thousands of flavors. The diversity in flavor and aroma arises out of many factors. This in spite of the plant being the same with little species variation. The major factors that determine the two aspects are the soil, climate, altitude and cultivation method adopted. 

The other factors that influence the flavor and aroma are the processing and blending with minor role being played by the storage or packing. Since a large variety of teas are grown and processed in tea gardens blending becomes important. The other reasons for blending are to obtain a said flavor or to manage the costs. Expensive teas like the premium Darjeeling tea are often mixed with regular black tea in order to reduce the cost.    

The brewing method also influences the flavor and aroma. In many countries brewing is a ceremonial ritual that is on vogue since many centuries. Masalas or spices also play a great role in the way the tea tastes. Nevertheless black tea finds the greatest popularity among the masses. Darjeeling tea is most popular as a premium beverage along with some varieties of green teas. Some of the leaf cultivated in China, Japan and India are popular as premium blends. The flavors are usually defined as strong, mild and light. Black tea is usually consumed a strong with strong flavor of tannins and other aromatic chemicals. High quality Darjeeling tea  has a slight bitter astringent flavor with very strong aroma.   

The hot tea beverage is not to be confused with herbal teas. These are a concoction of many herbs and usually do not contain the tea leaf.

Chai Wallahs

India is a unique and diverse country with amazing characteristic styles that lean on brink of being bizarre. The ubiquitous road side scene is large number of people on road, shanty shacks, and tea shops. The roadside in case of Indian baazars are dotted with pan shops, kirana stores, chaat wallahs and the chai wallah. 

The chai wallah may be nothing but a rickety hand cart or a small shop tucked away in a row. The latter may also be selling a wide variety of Indian fried snacks.  Thee hand carts selling tea in India are most numerous. In Southern India they may  also be selling coffee.   

The daily draws have a well set rapport with the chai wallah. Local business persons, office workers and visitors frequent these stalls and spend reasonable time listening to the chai wallahs banter or just gape at the World go past. 

The brewing style is as mesmerizing as the ensuing aroma is. The boiling liqueur is literally tossed in the air and collected back in the pan with acrobatic ease. In between sugar, spices and leaf are added algorithmically.  Each chai wallah has a unique way of brewing and serving the final concoction. 

The usual medium is small cheap glasses that do not cause any concern if broken or lost. These are briskly washed with murky water and steaming stream of tea poured into them. The liqueur is a thick extract of all the aromatic as well as non aromatic constituents of the tea leaf and the masalas. Nevertheless you get a flavor that does not distill during the brewing at home. The flavor and aroma is addicted and hence tea makers in the offices rust within a short period of disuse.  

The chai wallah and his masala tea are irreplaceable for the masses in India. Everywhere you go there is one serving the magic brew...hot and steaming. Be careful or you will end up with scalded oral cavity.  

History of tea in brief

Tea has been consumed in many countries since thousands of years. First creditable records appear from China dating back to the 3rd century AD. The use in earlier period may have been for medicinal purpose and its use as beverage may have been accidental.  

The tea may have been used similarly in Eastern India but there are no records. The tea was introduced into India during the 19th century by the British. They used Chinese Seed and cultivation technique on large scale of lands cleared for tea plantation. Some local Assamese variety was also cultivated. Today India is the largest producer of tea leaf after China and exports a substantial amount in bulk and packets. Several varieties of tea is grown in many countries now but not on very large scale.  

Eventually tea become popular among the Indian masses as late as 1950. This was due to aggressive promotion by the rulers. Today it has become a lifestyle product with it being consumed daily in the morning and evening. Tea is served almost any time of the day to visitors and business associates etc. 

The number of varieties of this wonderful brew is mind boggling with Assam Black and Darjeeling Green being the connoisseurs choice. The leaf after blending by experts is available in many kinds of packing. The carton is most popular followed by tea bags and plastic jars. Tea leaf is also available in loose bags or big cartons. 

The brew is consumed without milk in many countries. In India it is prepared with milk and sugar. Another Indian brew that is very popular is the Masala Chai or Spiced tea. This is actually a mixture of tea leaf with suitable spices offering additional flavor to the taste. A vast variety of spices are used to blend with the leaf. Some of the spices added have medicinal properties along with a distinct aroma.          

For more information read History of Tea
 

Indian Tea: Make your own brew

Tea like elsewhere is brewed in various manner in India. The most popular is the black leaf from Assam and Nilgiri. Black and green tea from Darjeeling are of premium variety consumed by connoisseurs and the upper class.   

Black tea brew is less popular in India but is consumed by many whence milk is a difficult commodity. The chai is popular all over India and is brewed with addition of cow, buffalo and goats milk. In rural India sugary brew is much preferred as a tradition. 

Masses like plain and simple chai without any addition, milk being an exception. But in winters some other forms of tea are consumed. 

My best combination is shreds of ginger and cardamom added to the boiling liqueur. This is a wonderful mix and gives relief from cold and indigestion as well. Some consumers add a dash of lemon to black tea. Another good addition to the brew is cinnamon. If you add in right quantity the flavor and aroma is magnificent

Some health conscious drinkers add lemon grass especially to ward of cold and bad throat. For me ginger does this job well. There are various mix of masalas available in packets all over the country. Some of these are fine blends and add to the taste of the brew.    

Many with subtle taste add varying quantity of milk in black tea. I like chai this way it is mostly available in cafe, restaurants and Indian Railways. Read more on Chai Tea in India.  

Assam Teas

India is the largest producer of black tea and most of it comes from Assam the NE state of India. Assam produces various type of black varieties most of which are consumed at home and exported to many countries.

Though tea is a product of same plant Camellia sinensis many different variants of the plant occur in different regions of the World. These variants or sub species have their own distinct flavor and aroma along with other characteristics. Many popular tea brands contain blends of Assam tea leaf.

Assam tea was discovered by Robert Bruce in the mountains of Rangpur, erstwhile capital of the Assam. The discovery gave the British a chance to cultivate tea in India as an alternative to expensive tea imports from Chinese mainland.

Under the then Governor General of India, Lord William Bentick a committee was formed in 1834 to cultivate and produce leaf from the indigenous tea plant recently discovered. Tea plantation in the Indian state of Assam was not much difficult as the plant was growing freely in the forests of Assam.

It was not till some time that Assam black tea was tried and tested and eventually exported to UK. But soon after this Assam leaf was on its way to never ending journey of being the most popular black leaf in the World. Assam variety is consumed using many recipes in India and the World. It is inseparable part of Masala chai which is gaining popularity Internationally for its taste and medicinal properties.

There are more than 800 tea gardens in Assam that provide large scale employment and contribute to Indian economy.

Indian chai tea

Although tea is not unique to India since it is drunk all over the world now..well almost. Indian chai comes in mind boggling flavors and is sold at roadside dhaba to five star tea rooms. But the ubiquitous chai wala justifies this name of the hot beverage. The recipe and method of making the tea beverage differs from person to person and place to place.

Tea makers have devised their on concoction of masalas or spices to add as flavoring. Such teas are known as masala chai in India and spice tea all over the world.

The masala chai is added to the black tea leaf mostly and rarely to the green tea beverage. But aromatic herbs as spearmint, mint and also lime is added to both black and green tea beverages. Even chocolate and vanilla flavors are added to the hot beverage but very rarely in India.

It is the simple recipe that finds popularity with the chai walas though the tea leaf may be often of different variety and brands.

Tea

Popularity of tea all over the world is growing day by day not only for its health benefits but also for the splendid taste that coffee tea carries. The art of tea drinking is engraved in many recipes that are popular all over the world.

The English introduced hot tea beverage in India although the tea plant was native to India, China and many Asian countries। The way tea is consumed in India, China and Japan varies from the way tea drink is consumed in English tea rooms and garden parties।

The hot tea recipe is often simple if you are not adding any exotic spices to the mix. In India ground spices as cardamom, cinnamon and shreds of ginger are more popular additives to the tea recipe when other masalas or spices are added it becomes spice tea or masala chai as is popular in India.

The addition of mint or spearmint, chamomile and other flavors may appeal to a particular segment of tea lovers but in my opinion black and green tea are best had with milk and sugar or for black tea lovers without milk.

Spices or other tea extracts or additives have their own benefits, but the latter rules. For the newbie tea drink lover extra flavoring helps but as he specializes in the art of making tea he develops a taste for tea as brewed plain to get the full benefit of tea leaf.

Green Tea

The finest green tea come from Assam State and Darjeeling district of West Bengal. The healthy organic green tea grown without using chemicals is best preferred for health. It contains beneficial anti oxidants that curb and cure many disease.

Organic and green tea are available in tea bags and loose leaf cartons. You canbuy online the finest teas for your consumption of the taste ful brew. No wonder it is referred to as the cup that cheers. The Assam tea is very popular both the green and black teas and their organice form.

The certified Darjeelin tea is king of teas with sweet fruity flavour with a touch of herbal green. It is more popular among premium tea lovers and in English tea rooms. They are priced higher then black and green teas from other states of India.

They can be consumed with spices these recipe are called masala chai and much preferred by tea lovers all over the world. These spice teas help one for health benefit as well as impart strong pleasant flavors. Masala tea or spice tea are available online as well and you can buy in tea bag or cartons as you please.