Indian Cuisine: Spiced Chai Tea

This is the last community kitchen at the Caring Place for 2009.  The reason is the Caring Place kitchen is fully booked for Christmas parties until end of the year.  Minoo has chosen an Indian theme for this meeting.  I love to learn cuisines from other culture.

Minoo made a popular Indian drink which is the Spiced Chai Tea.  The black tea is flavoured with various spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and clove.  You can serve it with milk or as it is.

In India and Pakistan, Chai Tea is called Masala Chai.  Masala means spices.

Chai Tea is served in many restaurants/cafes.  Here are some of them:

• Saffron Indian Cuisine
• Stepping Stones Bakery Cafe
• Death By Chocolate
• Saravanaa Bhavan
• Vij’s

Ingredients

• 7 cups water
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1 piece of ginger, sliced
• 2 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons black tea (strong, loose leaves black tea such as Assam)
• 1 cup milk
• 6 tablespoons brown sugar or any sweetener as preferred like honey or palm sugar
• optional spice: star anise and peppercorns (for a stronger taste)

Instructions

Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan and add all the spices.  Reduce heat, simmer for 10 to 12 minutes.

Add the black tea.  Increase heat and once again bring water back to a boil.  Reduce heat and let simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.  The Spiced Chai will be stronger if you leave the mix in the pan longer than 8 minutes.

Stir in milk if preferred.

Add sweetener to taste.  Increase heat to medium and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Remove pan and strain the tea. For a cold version, refrigerate the Chai Tea.

Categorized Under: 2009 • Drinks

Tagged Under: Community Kitchen • Drinks • Recipe • Tea