ch-ch-ch-Chai!

Chai, also known as masala chai, is India’s unofficial favorite beverage. At its most basic, chai is a spiced tea. But in reality, chai evokes the many exotic regions of India and the varying cultures and lifestyles of the Indian people. That super-creamy, overly sweetened, pumpkin-pie-spiced drink at your local coffee house can’t hold a candle to the delicately balanced, comfortingly aromatic chai made from ancient family and regional recipes.

Masala is a term from Indian cuisines meaning a mixture of spices. Although it varies among regions, the spices typically combined for use with chai are cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, pepper, and cloves. There are recipes that include nutmeg, anise, licorice, allspice, coriander, chocolate, vanilla and other locally preferred spices and flavorings.

The ingredient groups for a masala chai are the tea, milk, the spices, and a sweetener.

• Tea: generally a hearty black tea such as Assam or Keemun is used; chai is a heavily spiced drink and a lighter tea would quickly be overwhelmed
• Milk: use whole milk, half-and-half, or cream according to personal preference
• Spices: see recipe below, but experiment freely to create your own perfect masala
• Sweetener: white, brown, or raw sugar, honey, or other sweetener of choice

Here is a simple recipe for masala chai, but be forewarned. Once you taste it, you may never be able to go back to the syrupy commercial version.

Masala Chai for 2

1 c. water
1 c. milk
2 T. sugar
1 T. black tea leaves
Masala (recipe below)
Put water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the masala mixture. Let it boil for 5 minutes. Add the milk and sugar and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat. Add the tea leaves. Steep for 3 minutes. Strain the tea into pre-warmed teacups and serve immediately.

Masala

1 inch fresh ginger, sliced thin
slightly crushed or cracked:

• 1 inch stick of cinnamon
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 4 whole cloves
• 2 peppercorns