Several More Chai Recipes
Do you think I have a thing for spiced tea?
These first few are from my Indian cookbooks by Julie Sahni -- Classic Indian Cooking and Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking.
Spiced Tea (masala chah)
8 6-oz servings, for 8 people
6 cups cold water
1/3 cup milk, or to taste
1 stick cinnamon, 3 inches long
6 green cardamoms
4 whole cloves
12 black peppercorns (optional)
12 teaspoons sugar, or to taste
6 heaping teaspoons leaf tea or 9 tea bags (orange pekoe)
1. Combine water and milk in a deep pan and bring to a boil. Add the spices and sugar. Stir to blend, and turn off the heat. Cover the pan and let the spices soak for at least 10 minutes.
2. Add the tea leaves or bags and bring the water to a second boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover. Check the color and taste and add more milk and sugar if desired. Strain the tea into a warm teapot and serve immediately.
This is the way that the traditional spiced tea is made. You may, however, omit the milk or sugar or both, in which case reduce the quantity of tea to 2 heaping teaspoons or 3 tea bags.
Cardamom tea (ilaichi chah)
This tea is mellow than masala tea. It is flavored only with pods of green cardamom, which lend a tasty sweetness.
6 cups cold water
12 green cardamom pods
6 heaping teaspoons leaf tea or 9 tea bags (orange pekoe)
1 1-inch by 1/2-inch piece of lemon, lime, or orange peel
Scalded milk and sugar, to be servedon the side
1. Combine water and cardamom in a deep saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Turn of heat and let soak, covered, for 10 minutes.
2. While the cardamom is soaking, rinse the teapot with boiling water. Add the tea and the peel to the pot.
3. Bring the cardamom water to a full boil and pour it, pods and all, into the teapot. Let the tea brew for 2-3 minutes before serving. Add milk or sugar as desired to each cup. Serves 8.
Indian Cinnamon Tea (masala chah)
4 6-oz. servings
A tea from Darjeeling with a gentle bouquet. To truly enjoy, omit milk or sugar, which can mask the flavor.
3-3/4 cups water
3-inch piece of cinnamon stick, broken into small bits
3-inch piece fresh lemon peel (about 1/2 inch wide)
4 heaping teaspoons leaf tea or 4 tea bags (orange pekoe)
milk and sugar if desired
1. Bring water to a boil in a pan. Add cinnamon, stir, and turn off heat. Let cinnamon soak in the water for 2 minutes.
2. Bring water with cinnamon to a boil again. Add lemon peel and tea and turn off heat. Let tea brew, covered, for 3 minutes. Strain the tea into a pot and serve. Add milk or sugar if desired.
The following recipes come from my Moosewood cookbooks.
Spiced Tea
serves 4
4 cups water
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
1-inch piece fresh ginger root, cut into 4 slices
10 cardamom pods (or 1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds)
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
3 teabags of black tea
1 cup milk
honey or other sweetener to taste
Bring the water and spices to a boil in the saucepan. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add teabags and milk and simmer for an additional 3-4 minutes. Remove the teabags, sweeten to taste, and serve, pouring the tea through a strainer to catch any loose spices.
This tea gets stronger the longer it sits, so if you want a stronger spice flavor, let it sit for a while and then reheat. Add more teabags if you desire a stronger black tea taste.
Spiced Tea
Known as chai masala in India, this beverage has as many versions as there are teapots. Use a rich, full-bodied tea to match the strength of the spices. Adjust the proportions or the spice mixture to suit yourself. Serves 2.
2-1/2 cups cold water
4 slices of fresh ginger root, about 1/4 inch thick and the size of a quarter
3 orange slices, about 1/2 inch thick
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 teabags (black, green, or mint tea work well)
honey or sugar to taste
Combine the cold water, ginger root, orange slices, fennel seeds, cloves, and peppercorns in the saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 10-12 minutes.
Pour through a strainer into 2 cups and add the teabag of your choice to each cup. Steep for 1-3 minutes and add honey or sugar to taste.