Tea Guide: Chai Tea

Masala chai or “chai” tea has a history as rich and flavorful as the tea itself. What North Americans commonly refer to as “chai” is actually referred to in India, Nepal, Pakistan and Tibet as “masala chai”. Masala chai is a sweetened milky tea enhanced with a variety of spices.

Chai tea goes back over 4,900 years to the ancient courts in India. An Indian king first discovered the tea and used it for its healing properties. Various illnesses were reportedly cured by this tea and so it grew in popularity through all of India. Today, Chai tea is consumed on a daily basis across all of India and the Eastern world.

Masala chai was considered a natural remedy for a variety of medical conditions and depending upon the seasonal and regional availability of various spices and sweeteners the preparation of masala chai would frequently change and vary across the countryside. In fact, masala chai was consumed hot or cold, milky and sweet with a variety of unique and flavorful spice mixtures.

Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and peppermint are just a few of the traditional spices added to chai tea. Modern spices that were later added by the Western world include vanilla, cocoa, almonds, and licorice. Sweeteners were also added like molasses, brown sugar, cane sugar, and honey. The many different spice and sugar combination’s give this tea its slightly golden color.

In 1885, during British colonization, several tea plantations were erected in Assam, India to grow, cultivate and produce fine black tea. The resulting Assam tea quickly became the main tea type used in masala chai recipes and is still used in masala chai and chai tea recipes around the globe today.

Assam, India became the main producer of chai tea. Then, in 1960, a new method for processing the tea was invented called the CTC (cut, tear, and curl) method. This method of processing the tea was quicker and less expensive than previous methods used. As a result of this new method, chai tea became a stronger flavored black tea. This new taste and less expensive method of production helped take chai tea to new levels of popularity the world over.

Many families have their own special masala chai recipes that have been passed down through generations. One of the most common methods for making masala chai begins with the boiling of loose black tea leaves, milk, freshly ground spices and a sweetener. Once the tea has been boiled, steeped and simmered the chai mixture is poured over a strainer to filter out the tea leaves and spice residue. Masala chai is a wonderfully palatable drink with a unique sweet and savory taste. The milky tea is usually served warm, fresh off the stove, but it can also be served over ice as a cool and refreshing drink.

I hope you find this article on chai tea enlightening. Before you buy any chai tea, make sure you check out the chai tea guide at chai tea and for the widest variety of teas at the lowest prices go to buy tea