What is Chai?

“India in a tea cup”

“Chai” is actually the Hindi word for “tea” which was derived from “cha” the Chinese word for tea. Masala Chai means spiced tea. For convenience the western world has adopted the word chai to mean spiced tea.

Chai has been the drink of India and middle eastern culture for thousands of years and an integral part of their healing culture. Originally chai was not the term used for the tea we know today; legend has it that the origin of chai came about when a king in what is now India ordered a healing spiced beverage be created for use in Ayurveda, a traditional medicinal healing concoction made by brewing herbs and spices. In fact, the earliest chai did not contain any tea leaves at all and recipes differed according to the seasons, availability of ingredients and your particular ailment.

The addition of black tea leaves, milk and sugar were popularized thousand of years later in 1835 when the British set up tea plantations in Assam, India. This was the first appearance of chai as it’s known today. Nowadays, India is not only one of the largest producers of tea in the world, but also one of the biggest consumers of it while adding their own twist using a mixture of aromatic spices, milk and sweetener.

The ritual of drinking chai transcends all boundaries and in most big cities you'll find Chaiwallahs (vendors who specifically sell chai) on every corner, with their enormous steel pots or kettles full of simmering chai. Chai is more than just a cuppa to start the day, it is a way of life; the nutrient-rich drink is an integral part of the rhythm of life.

Almost everywhere you go in India you will see people gulping down the sweet, spicy beverage. Traditional chai beverages can vary from town to town and family to family, there is no one recipe that defines chai. If you go to someone's house in India, there is every chance of chai being served with their own unique combination of spices; there is no right or wrong way of making chai. It is subjective.

The word chai has become synonymous with the fragrant spicy Indian tea more accurately referred to masala chai. Chai can be purchased in most cafes nowadays, however is easy to make at home, either by scratch, premixed tea or teabags or a store-bought concentrate. Personally, I prefer making mine by scratch with fresh ingredients and I can mix and match to suit my mood. Be aware spices will not go off but they do get stale and the flavours will be disappointing.

COMPONENTS OF CHAI

Tea: With a few exceptions, the base of chai is a black tea. There are many variations of black tea with a strong, full-bodied flavour or you may use a mixture of teas depending on personal preference of aroma and flavour. Even green tea or completely herbal blends containing no tea can be used.

Milk: Chai almost always includes milk, and that milk is usually whole, (Western version either cow’s milk or dairy alternatives) preferably organic which will bring out the richness in all the spices.

Spices: The spices (masala) used in chai will vary depending on culture, region, climate and personal preference. Cardamom is the most common ingredient, followed by cinnamon, fresh ginger, star anise and cloves. Pepper, coriander, nutmeg and fennel are also used, but they are slightly less common. Everyone has a blend to suit their tastes. The art of chai blending brings out balanced flavours of each spice and enhances medicinal qualities.

Sweetener: Plain white sugar is the most common sweetener for chai. Jaggery, demerara, unrefined cane sugar, coconut sugar or honey are also used for its sweet flavour. You may of course not want any sweetener at all, again it is a personal choice.

HOMEMADE CHAI

No recipe required; it is really the method that matters. One-part milk to two-parts water, tea leaves (or tea bags) sweetener and spices of your choice. There is no hard or fast rule as to what spices you can and cannot use. You can vary the amount of milk and sugar according to your pallet and constitution and if using caffeinated tea, the cardamom used in this recipe will help neutralise the effects of caffeine.

HOMEMADE MASALA CHAI

Ingredients

2 Cups Water

I Cup Milk

2 tablespoons Loose Leaf Tea (or 2 teabags)

1 Cinnamon Stick

Fresh Ginger (thumb size)

8 Cloves

4 Black Peppercorns

8 Cardamom Pods

1 Star anise

½ teaspoon Fennel Seed

Sweetener to taste

Method

Roughly crush spices in a mortar & pestle.

Place spices in a saucepan along with water and milk.

Bring to the boil.

Reduce heat and add the tea leaves.

Allow tea to steep.

Strain the warm spiced mixture into a mug, glass or teapot.

If desired add sweetener of your choice.

Chai is not only delicious but it is a great way to induce some of those health-giving spices into your diet. Spices that stimulate circulation, bring blood to the surface of the skin and warm up the body are known as warming spices. These spices not only warm you up but are nutrient dense with a number of properties to help support and maintain a healthy immune system. Chai is not only delicious, but due to its warmth it stokes your digestive fire. According to Ayurvedic philosophy spices not only enhance taste and digestion but also prevent accumulation of toxins (ama) from poorly digested food in the body. Let’s look at the health benefits from the spices used above:

Cinnamon Stick - increases circulation and opens breathing helping as a cold and flu expectorant; lowers blood sugar and powerful anti-diabetic effect.

Fresh Ginger – stimulant for the circulatory and immune systems, natural expectorant and good diaphoretic (causes perspiration) to expel any sluggish feelings.

Cloves – a natural stimulant with an energizing effect, reduces inflammation and supports circulation and digestion; an expectorant and internally warms the body.

Black Pepper – supports circulation and metabolism, alleviates chronic coldness; high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

Cardamom Pods– sweet and rich aroma, benefits lungs, kidneys and heart; stimulates mind and digestive system; when added with milk it neutralises mucus properties and detoxifies caffeine.

Star anise –rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, helps relieve digestive issues, gas and bloating; fights viruses and flu, reduces respiratory congestion.

Fennel Seed – sweet liquorice like flavour, containing antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties; reduces asthma symptoms and high in vitamin C.

For those trying to reduce or eliminate coffee, switching to chai is a good alternative. A typical cup of chai contains approximately 40mg of caffeine compared to roughly 120mg in a standard cup of coffee. You would have to drink 3 cups of chai to achieve the same amount of caffeine you get from a single coffee. A good choice if you are wanting to get off the stimulant/fatigue treadmill while enjoying the many beneficial properties. But remember, when you next go and order a “chai tea” you are actually asking for a “tea- tea” so ask for a chai or masala chai or simply a spiced tea.

Namaste