A sweet and spicy drink, which is renowned for its distinctive aroma, here at Spirit & Destiny, we’ve been searching far and wide to uncover the best herbal tea, in particular the best chai tea.
In many parts of the world, ‘chai’ translates to the word ‘tea’ and in the West, chai has become associated with a certain cup of fragrant, spicy tea originating from India. If we were to be more accurate, however, this type of tea should be known as ‘masala chai’, meaning ‘mixed spice tea’.
Made up of four key ingredients, allow us to help you make the perfect cup of this traditional tea or find the best ready made alternative.
What is chai tea?
Chai tea has four main ingredient:
Tea
The base of masala chai is black tea. So, use your regular tea bags at home.
If you’re not sure, this ceylon black tea is a great choice:
twinings.co.uk
Dairy-free milk alternatives for chai tea
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Description
Ingredients: Fennel, dried ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, green cardamom, cloves, star anise.
Sweetener
www.hollandandbarrett.com
twinings.co.uk
Description
You can even grab six of these in a mega bundle or an artisan 1kg tub.
Spices
Next, the spices - arguably, the most important ingredient. Fresh spices make the best masala chai, although it’s OK if you haven’t got fresh options available. Among the spices used are:
Cardamom – This is the most common ingredient. You can use black or green.
Less common spices
Every family has a blend to suit its tastes. So, feel free to pick and choose your spices based on personal preference. However, cardamom should be a main-stay.
How do I make chai tea at home?
Follow this recipe to make one large mug of tea or two smaller cups:
Ingredients
Follow this recipe to make one large mug of tea or two smaller cups:
A cup of water (230ml)
A cup of milk of your choice (230ml)
2-3tsp sugar, or a sweetening alternative.
1-2tbsp loose black tea – or 1-2 tea bags.
5 cardamon pods (black or green)
½ cinammon stick – split lengthwise
3 whole cloves
2-3 slices of ginger (skins are OK)
Extra spices
1-2 star anise (optional)
5 peppercorns (optional)
Things to remember:
Decaf tea is fine to use.
You can choose whatever spices you want. Just make sure to use them in moderation
Method
- Lightly crush your cardamom, whole cloves, star anise and peppercorns.
- Place these in a small pot with your water. Add the ginger, cinnamon and black tea.
- Bring to the boil and turn off the heat. Leave to steep for at least 10 minutes.
- After, add your choice of milk. Bring to a simmer once more. Then, turn off the heat.
- Stir in your sugar, or your alternative to taste.
- Strain your tea into a mug. Repeat if you need to.
FAQs
Can I get chai tea in bags?
You certainly can. If you’re on the go, why not have a look at these easier alternatives?
How can chai tea improve my health?
There’s evidence that chai tea may be good for your heart.
Two of the tea’s central ingredients, cinnamon and black tea, can help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. However, studies that directly investigate the effects of chai tea are needed.