Chai
Teas
"Thank
God for tea! What would the world do without tea? How did
it exist? I am glad that I was not born before tea!"
-
Sydney Smith |
|
Chai's
roots come from the 5,000 year old Indian Science of Ayurveda,
healing with food.
You'll find that the ingredients in Chai are used to promote
healing and strengthen various parts of the body.
Cinnamon strengthens the blood and teeth. Black Pepper stimulates
digestion, brings heat, circulation, breaks a sweat, breaks
down calcium deposits. Cloves stimulate the appetite. Cardamom
opens the nerves, helps digestion. Ginger strengthens the
nerves, circulation.
The Black Tea catalyzes the spices.
The Milk helps buffer the digestive tract from the spices
and relax the muscle system.
You don't need to use a large amount of Black Tea in a pot
of Chai.
The magic is in the mix!
Mama's
Chai Tea
4 sticks
of Mexican cinnamon - easy to break (1 stick of the hard kind)
1 t (heaping) cardamom pods crushed
½ t black peppercorns
3 whole cloves
¼ # grated fresh ginger root
2 tea bags of jasmine tea
½ gallon of water
Place cloves
in water and bring to a boil. Add everything but jasmine tea.
Continue to softly boil for 1 hour. Turn off burner. Add jasmine
tea bags for 6 minutes. Strain pot of tea and enjoy. If too
spicy, cut down on ginger and peppercorns.
Ginger
Tea
1/2 # of
fresh ginger root, grated
1/2 gal
water
Bring water
to a boil. Add ginger root and slowly boil for a half hour.
Strain and drink with milk, soy milk or almond milk.
Great with
a little Maple Syrup!
Soothes the throat. Warms the insides. Strengthens the nerves.
Quick
and Dirty Chai Recipes - Poppy's Complete How To.
---------------------------------------------------------
Buy
some common Chai Ingredients.
*
Black Tea
Get boxed or loose or bags.
Go to
an Indian/Paki/Eastern Import Grocer.
"Tea India" brand is very popular with Chai drinkers from
India.
"Brooke Bond Red Label" is fantastic and very forgiving if
you let it boil away on the stove.
"PG Tips" is wonderful bagged tea, much cheaper than the same
box at an English import store, and great for a teapot or
made into Chai.
At a
"Western" grocery store, believe it or not, Lipton's, Red
Rose, Tetley are great for making a hearty, earthy Chai.
Don't be afraid to try English or Irish or Scottish Breakfast
teas.
Try a Ceylon Orange Pekoe, or Darjeeling.
Lapsang Souchong will stimulate your senses with the smokey
flavor. Still makes a great Chai, depending on spices used.
Also,
please try a good Jasmine Tea, for a wonderful, light flavored
Chai. It could become your favorite.
You'll
want to avoid the flavored Teas, like Earl Grey, which is
scented with Bergamot Oil. Doesn't mix well with the spices.
*
Spices
Indian/Eastern Import Stores are your best bet.
Try the "Specialty" section of your Grocer's before
going to the Baking Supplies area.
You'll find most of the spices at a supermarket in the Baking
Supplies row, but the price for a little jar will astound
you.
Whole
Cinnamon and Whole Cloves can be bought in the
Mexican Spice area of many supermarkets, in bags.
Whole Black Peppercorns are also readily available.
Green Cardamom Pods, at the Indian store.
Ginger can be bought fresh at most Groceries.
Black Cardamom Pods are found at Indian Grocers.
Star Anise can be found in the Mexican Spice area or
Import store.
Fennel seed is cheapest at the Indian store, or Mexican
Spice area.
*
Homemade Chai Cheating
(more below):
Go
to any Indian/Eastern Import Grocer.
Buy 1 of every brand of "Tea Masala"/"Chai Masala" you
can get your hands on.
Use a couple of pinches (SERIOUSLY!) per cup of finished
tea.
When you find what you like, buy lots more of that brand.
Chai Masala is cheap!
Good in Hot Milk, too!
*
Milk
Traditionally, Milk in India comes from the Water Buffalo.
It has a unique flavor that, once tasted in Chai, is hard
to equal with what Ol' Bossy produces in the West.
So, that aside, any kind of Milk - Cow's, Goat's, Sheep, Buffalo,
Camel, - Whole Cream, Whole Milk, Raw, 2%, Pasteurized, Condensed
(authentic in select areas!); any Soy Milk, Almond Milk. I
suppose you could use Coffee "Whitener". (You've
got a Jones, if you have used it. Um, yeah, I've used it.
But only on a Chai Teabag that was a commercial premix.)
*
Sweetener
For the most authentic taste, at the Indian store, buy
a block of "Gur" or "Jaggery"; raw sugar
pressed into blocks. Break off chunks of that!
Careful!
You don't want to break any tile counters when preparing your
Gur.
At a Hispanic grocer or Mexican spice area, look for "Piloncillo"
for almost the same taste.
Sugar, honey, whatever you like, can be added for sweetener.
In the interests
of furthering international relations and good will, particularly
in the interests of great food of all kinds, ask the Indian
storekeeper how his/her family makes Chai. You may get something
quite different and unique from what you can put to taste here.
Poppy's
Most Cheating Early Morning Can't Talk Until After the First
Cup When He Can't Even Get It Together First Thing in the Morning
For the Love of God Murders Have Happened For Less At This Hour
Chai Recipe:
FIRST!
Please! Don't try this the very first time after just waking
up.
Practice a couple of times so you won't need to mop up the
microwave at an hour when the sound of running water hurts
the ears.
SECOND!
Check kitchen to make sure spouse (friend, dog, offspring,
mother, anything with a voice) isn't near.
Enter kitchen.
Avoid looking at clock.
Avoid turning on lights.
Try to use the microwave light by opening the door.
THIRD!
(The good part!)
Fill mug 2/3 full of water.
Put in 1+ pinch of Chai Masala powder.
Put in a Black Tea bag.
Add Milk or Soymilk to the top.
Uff! Watch that Fridge light! Too Bright!
Microwave it until it just boils. Pacing and looking. Looking
and pacing. Approx 2-3 minutes.
Let sit for a minute or two to steep. Pacing and looking.
Looking and pacing.
Diddle with the Teabag Tag, like it helps.
Fish Teabag Tag out of mug.
Re-microwave to bring temp up as hot as possible. Looking.
Watching.
Yank the tea bag. Squeeze it anyway. Lick scalded fingers
on the way to the trash.
Sweeten or not, to taste.
Real Rough Night? Lots of sweet!
FINALLY!
Sip in that first sip of Hope and Delight.
Shudder a bit and
Greet the Morning!
Greet the Spouse!
Pet the Dog!
GREAT CHAI!
GREAT DAY!
This Chai
can more respectfully be made in a small pan,
Bring the water to a boil, adding a pinch or 2 of Chai Masala.
When it has boiled for a couple minutes, add the Black Tea.
Either, prep your mug and microwave it with about 1/3 Milk,
strain the tea and mix it in the mug or, pour the Milk directly
into the pot and bring back to a boil. Strain and serve.
This is
a great first intro to Chai, without being stuck with those
super sweet prepacked liquid products. Experiment with the different
brands of Chai Masala to find the ones you like.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Most
Cheating Chai with friends:
Chai
for 4 or 5.
Put a qt/liter of water on the stove to boil. Use a stainless
steel pot for best flavor.
Add a pinch or 4 of Chai Masala as the water is heating.
When it comes to a boil, turn it down to low and add approx
1 tsp of Tea per cup served.
For a qt/liter, try about a rounded Tblsp of loose tea, or
3-4 tea bags.
Let boil (yes, boil!) while pouring about a third of a cup
of milk into each cup/mug.
Heat the milk mugs in the microwave until almost boiling.
(I use 1min + 45secs for a single 12 oz mug.)
Turn off the boiling tea and strain into each mug.
Sweeten or not.
Drink Chai
with friends!
You can
always add the Milk to the Tea in the pot and bring back to
a boil.
Watch! Milk Burns!
-------------------------------------------------------------
Not
Quite as Cheating Chai Recipe with Real Ingredients:
Commercial
Chai Masala isn't your thing.
Gotta have a REAL HOMEMADE CHAI!
Quick
Cheat Homemade Chai using Microwave:
Fill
your mug 2/3 full of Water.
Take 1-3 Green Cardamom Pods and crunch them with a
mug or chopping knife handle or rolling pin. Just crack 'em
open a touch and maybe crush a few of the little seeds inside.
(If you're alone, you can crack 'em with your teeth!)
Throw 'em into the mug.
Add a Tea Bag.
Add to top with Milk or Soy Milk
Microwave until it boils.
Let steep a few minutes.
Optional: Re-Microwave to get hot again.
Remove Tea Bag. Try to remove some Cardamoms.
Sweeten or not.
Sip tea. (Strain Cardamoms with your teeth.) ;-)>>>
Enjoy!
Homemade
Chai (same recipe):
Obviously,
this can be made in a small sauce pan or quart pot.
Start the
water to boil and add some crushed Cardamoms, say, 3 per cup.
Let the color come out and let it boil for a couple minutes,
at least.
Add the Tea, bags or loose, about a tsp per cup. Don't add an
extra teabag for the pot.
Boil about 5 minutes.
Add the Milk.
Bring back to a boil.
Strain and serve.
Sweeten to taste.
After this,
try adding a few whole cloves and a stick of cinnamon.
DEFINITELY throw in some black peppercorns...
Read on!
---------------------------------------------------------------
A
Little More Traditional Homemade Chai:
Chai is
usually made in a pot big enough to hold the finished drink.
Consider proportions of approximately 2-3 parts Water to 1 part
Milk.
(If the guests are honored friends, prestigious,
or in need of impressing, use more Milk or even Cream. If you
need to make it go around or the "guests" are the family type,
use more Water...)
To
make a qt/liter of Chai:
Use 3 cups
of Water in a stainless steel pot big enough to hold the finished
amount.
Start heating the Water.
Take a 3-5" stick of Cinnamon (hard or soft) and throw
it in.
Throw in about 10 whole Cloves.
Throw in about 8-10 crushed Green Cardamom Pods.
Throw in about 10 whole Black Peppercorns.
Throw in about 1 to 1-1/2 inches of thin sliced fresh Ginger.
Doesn't need to be peeled.
Bring to a rolling boil and let it go a few minutes.
After at least 5 minutes, better 10, add a rounded Tblsp of
Black Tea, or 3-4 Tea bags.
Continue to boil for at least 5 minutes.
Add the Milk, approx 1 Cup.
Bring back to a boil.
WATCH! MILK BURNS!
Sugar is commonly added to the pot at this time.
Try breaking off a piece of "Gur" or "Jaggery"
to sweeten the Chai.
Add your own sweetener, or not...
Strain and serve really hot!
If made
well, a good Chai will not need sweetener. Sometimes though,
the sweetener is just what melds the flavors.
You'll find many from the East like their Chai really sweet.
Yes, those syrupy sweet Chai boxes really do emulate the Indian
Chais in at least one way.
- Add
more Black Pepper and Ginger when you feel a
Cold coming on. Don't be afraid to, "Spice it up!"
- You
may eliminate the Ginger or Pepper, Cloves, Cinnamon,
if you want. But, why?
- Try
making Chai from only one or 2 of the ingredients anyway.
- You
may also add or substitute more flavors!
- Try
adding 1 Black Cardamom Pod, crushed, for an earthy,
sharp, winey flavor. Tastes fantastic!
- Try
adding 1 Star Anise Pod, for a sweetness and exotic
boost.
- Try
adding Fennel Seeds, (1 tsp) for a mellower, sweet
flavor.
- Try adding
a few drops of Vanilla Extract at the end.
- Don't
forget the Whipped Cream squirter!
- Try boiling
the spices for up to 30 minutes or more before adding the
Black Tea. Add Water to replenish that boiled away while cooking.
As you
can see, Chai becomes your own recipe real easily.
Play with the flavors.
You'll find as many Chai recipes as families in the East.
Back
to top
|
