All about chai tea

...so you went to Starbucks and realized there is a beverage called "dirty chai", and now, you are wondering What is Chai ?
The Starbucks one is one of the simple drinks on the Starbucks secret menu that can be served either hot or cold.
This herbal tea involves the addition of one shot of Espresso into a Chai Latte. This Dirty Chai is for those Chai Latte lovers who want an extra kick of caffeine while avoiding the coffee taste.
..and know you are wondering about the origins of chai ?

If you want to discover other recipes of Indian traditional cuisine, please read this recipe of chicken masala

What is chai made of?

According to Wikipedia

Masala chai (/tʃaɪ/; lit. 'mixed-spice tea') is a tea beverage made by boiling black tea in milk and water with a mixture of aromatic herbs and spices.^[2] Originating in India, ^[3] the beverage has gained worldwide popularity, becoming a feature in many coffee and tea houses. Although traditionally prepared as a decoction of green cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, ground cloves, ground ginger, and black peppercorn together with black tea leaves, retail versions include tea bags for infusion, instant powdered mixtures, and concentrates.
The term "chai" originated from the Hindi word "chai", which was derived from the Chinese word for tea, cha (see: Etymology of tea). In English, this spiced tea is commonly referred to as masala chai,^[4] or simply chai,^[5] even though the term refers to tea in general in the original language. Numerous coffee houses use the term chai latte or chai tea latte for their version to indicate that it is made with steamed milk, much like that used to make a caffè latte, but mixed with a spiced tea concentrate instead of espresso. By 1994, the term had gained currency on the U.S. coffeehouse scene.^[6]

<sup>This sounds interesting, right? and now that We stablished the origin of chai, let's dive on it a little bit more

Let's face it, chai is surrounded by a halo of mysticism, but at the end, is it good for your health?</sup>

^{Is chai tea healthier than coffee?}

According to the world authority of Chai knowledge,  You would have to drink three cups of chai tea to achieve the same amount of caffeine you get in a single cup of coffee. And this ratio increases to 5:1 or 6:1 when you compare chai to strong coffee. By virtue of this fact alone, switching to chai will cut your caffeine intake dramatically, even if you have an extra cup. Finally we have an easy and enjoyable way to get off the stimulant/fatigue treadmill and enjoy something that is actually good for us!
Did you know...

According to Statista.com, In 2020, Americans drank an average of 1.87 cups of coffee per day. Between 2011 and 2020, U.S. coffee consumption per capita per day remained relatively close to two cups, with the exception of 2016, when U.S. survey respondents drank roughly 1.64 cups of coffee per day.

Fun facts about the consumption of tea vs coffee

According to Euromonitor International, 

• The world consumed 2.9 million tonnes of tea in 2016, up from 1.6 in 2002. Global consumption of tea is forecast to reach 3.3 million tonnes in 2021.
• More than half of global tea consumption comes from Asia.
• In 2021, global consumption of coffee (6.2 million tonnes) will almost be double that of tea (3.3 million tonnes).

Unlike coffee, chai has many inherently beneficial properties. The black tea in chai is rich in antioxidants and the spices in chai have been used for thousands of years to promote general health and well-being, as well as to treat various ailments.
 

What is the difference between chai and tea?

Since most Indians drink tea boiled with milk and sugar, the word has become synonymous with milk tea. ... Chai is black tea and hot milk, while Masala tea will combine black tea, milk and a few spices. With chai growing in popularity, Western tea drinkers have begun referring to milk tea as chai tea or chai latte

How do you make chai tea?

Chai is a tea beverage made by boiling black tea in milk and water with a mixture of aromatic herbs and spices.

Is chai tea made with black tea?

It's a tea beverage made by boiling black tea in milk and water with a mixture of aromatic herbs and spices.

What are the difference between masala chai and chai?

A chai latte on menus is just the spiced tea steeped in hot water, topped with steamed milk or poured into warm milk. Whereas an authentic masala chai is loose-leaf tea and whole spices steeped and simmered in water and/or milk. There is definitely a noticeable taste difference because of how the two are made.

How to drink chai?

To prepare chai latte (or chai tea) at home:

1. Using a tall clay mug, also known as kulhad, pour hot water over the spices mix (fill to about a third of the way up)
2. Leave to brew for 3-4 minutes.
3. While your tea is brewing, froth enough milk to fill the cup.
4. After 3-4 minutes, remove the tea bag and top the mug up with frothed milk.
5. Drink while inhaling at the same time to avoid burning your tong.

Learn more about traditional serve ware, read in this article about India's kulhar chai cups

Traditionally, chai is served in earthen cups or kulhad. These handmade clay tumblers are made for only one usage, so after the chai time, they are thrown away.

Modern times made earthen mugs retire and use the glass cups instead, but you can still take chai on clay terracotta cup in the streets of Calcotta.

Visiting India as a tourist creates a whole new experience as walking through those narrow streets full packed with people.

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If you are wanting to prepare and to drink chai at home, please consider buying your chai cups here by clicking on the images below

 

 

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