It's high time to start with our recipes. Here is something very easy to prepare for the beginning and very typical for South Asian Cuisine- Masala Chai (Spiced Tea).
India runs on chai. This unique and addictive brew is often consumed by Indians up to 4-5 times a day.
Milky, sweet drink is brewed up for a while and it's a perfect antidote to the heat and stress of Indian travel. It will awaken your senses, give you an energy boost and make you feel alive.
Chai Wallahs are everywhere- from busy street corners, train platforms, to pilgrimage sites in the middle of nowhere. When you need a cup of tea, the chai wallah is always near!
Wherever you go in India, on nearly every corner you can find a Chai Wallah- street vendor specializing in making tea all day long. It's incredibly popular and incredibly cheap- for a steaming glass of tea you'll pay only about 5 rupees (approx. £0.06).
There is no fixed recipe and preparation method for perfect chai and many families and shops have they own unique versions of tea.
I'm gonna show you the way I make it at home- following traditional recipe, which is used by hundreds of thousands of Indian housewives.
First of all you'll need the basic ingredients:
-Strong black teabags (of your choice)
-Water
- Milk (full fat is the best, but semi-skimmed will also do the job)
-Sugar
- Green Cardamom pods
-Cloves
-Cinnamon sticks
-Fresh Ginger
-Black pepper
Ingredients should be fresh for the best results, but things like cinnamon or ginger can be substituted by their powder versions.
Traditionally cardamom is a dominant note, supplemented by other spices.
Star anise and fennel seeds are also commonly used. Other possible ingredients include nutmeg, coriander, rose flavouring or liquorice root. Also a small amount of cumin, considered a "warm" spice can be used as it's known for medicinal values.
The Kashmiri version of chai is brewed with green tea instead of black tea and has a more subtle blend of flavourings: almonds, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and sometimes saffron.
You can use more than one teabag, depends on how strong you want your tea to be and how many people you are making it for. (One teabag definitely won't be enough for a big pot of chai).
Simply pour some water to the pot and place in the teabag and spices.
(Spices can be crushed before adding them)
Bring to boil.
Some people add milk to the mixture at the beginning, but I personally prefer to check first that the tea gets dark and strong enough so the spices and sweeteners do not overpower its taste.
When you're happy with the strength of the tea, add milk and cook for another few minutes.
Keep stirring continuously.
Add sugar to taste.
The standard water and milk ratio is 1:1 (1 cup of milk+ 1 cup of water to make a cup of tea). This provides smooth taste of chai. However it depends on personal preference.
You can add a bit more water if you don't like it too thick and milky. And also don't forget some water will evaporate in the process.
Now your chai can be strained and is ready to serve.
Whatever you do remember good Indian food, is never cooked in hurry. The longer you brew your chai the more delicious it gets. Chai making can be fun and it's time well spent.
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