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Indian tea? What’s that? Doesn’t all tea come from India? At least the non-green non-jasmine fermented variety? Well, I could tell you about the difference between Ceylon tea and Malay tea cultivated in Cameron Highlands, I could quote percentages and argue whether or not Darjeeling is indeed the champagne of teas. But this article is not about tea. It’s about the art of Chai. Chai (pronounced to rhyme with ‘pie’) is a spiced milk and tea concoction that is becoming increasingly popular throughout the world. It produces a soothing effect, acts as a natural digestive aid and gives one a wonderful sense of wellbeing. On a chilly evening, the viscous liquid warms up the body and spirit. And, woman, does it have atmosphere! Talking around a pot of Chai is as easy as talking over frothy cups of cappuccino, and even adamant coffee lovers switch over to Chai when touring India. Although every Indian household has its own ‘only original’ traditional recipe, Chai is generally made up of: tea leaves, rich milk, a combination of various spices and a sweetening agent. The spices used vary from region to region, the most common including cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and pepper. Of course the modern world has elevated Chai to new planes of experience: Chai ices, Chai-ccino, shakes, chocolate Chai, non-fat, artificial sweetener Chai, decaf, and so on. But traditional Chai must be hot, creamy, fragrant with tea, and contain enough sugar to bring out the spices. Even those who usually drink their tea black would never dream of skimping on milk or sugar in their Chai.
What tea to use? Definitely loose leaf rather than tea bags, and black rather than green (with the exception of Kashmiri Chai which takes green tea and no milk), but whatever your favourite, make sure it’s good quality. I’ve experimented with Darjeeling and Twinings Irish Breakfast, and the final decision depends on how much tea-flavour you want. The actual method of brewing Chai also has two distinct schools of thought. One: throw everything together into a COLD mixture of milk and water, then boil; and two: throw in the spices into BOILING water, simmer for several minutes, then add the tea and milk. The choice, as with the actual spices and tea leaves used, is personal. Brewing Chai is fun and it allows you to experiment until you get it ‘just right’ for your taste.
Chai was part of our staple diet during our holiday in India. And the first thing I bought when we arrived home was full cream milk and five varieties of tea. Leaves, naturally.
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