This time of year, we start to crave the warmth of a cup of tea in our hands and the aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg or ginger. The rich addition of a dash of milk and a sweet spoon of honey or sugar make for one of the most savory and sweet drinks you can imagine – chai! Ever wonder what exactly goes in to a cup of chai? There are many variations right here at The Tea Smith as well as other suggestions on how you can experiment.
Basic Chai
Travel outside of the States and you may have trouble ordering the sweet and spicy drink we know of as chai. In many countries, including Russia, the word “chai” is the word for “tea,” plain and simple. In other countries it is pronounced in a slightly different way, but sounds very close to our word for chai. You might be very disappointed to receive a cup of straight black tea.
However, what we know of as chai, is the spicy and sweet drink that originated in India. It most often consists of a black tea with spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger and sometimes black pepper. The blend is brewed right along with milk as it heats over the stove, which makes it extremely flavorful with rich and sweet notes from the added milk.
Try cooking up our Traditional Masala Chai this way. Then, if you need a little more spice, cook up our Organic Calcutta Chai with milk. Keep the ratios as you would for brewing a normal cup of tea – 1 teaspoon of tea to every 8 ounces of milk. Stir it as it heats on the stovetop and add your sweetner of choice as it heats.
Other Takes on Chai
Now that we’ve got the basic idea of what chai tea is, let your imagination run wild. You might like to try our Coconut Chai or throw in a few of your own ideas like dried apple bits and extra cinnamon or a dash of vanilla. Make sure you stock up on enough chai to experiment with your drink to get it flavored just the way you like it.
You can also try making your chai with different liquids instead of milk. Try soy, almond or coconut milk for example. The higher the fat content, the better your milk (or whatever) will foam.
Finally, since this is the season of all things pumpkin, give this Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte a try. It’s well worth the time and ingredients. Let us know what you think!