Having worked for many years in the technology sector with many fine citizen of east Indian legacy and/or origin, I not only industrialized a taste for spicy hot curries and full, Indian cuisine, but also for a type of spiced tea which has become popularized in the West over the last decade or so. This is "spiced chai", or "chai tea". What is amusing is that "chai" is the name for tea. So the phrase "chai tea" is actually just a repetition in two languages. What is spiced chai? It is when you mix together strong black Indian teas with a spice blend called "tea masala". Tea masala popularly contains ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, and clove. Mint leaves can optionally be added into the mix for a pleasant flavor variation.
This is not meant to b e a recipe so I will not state amounts. I rarely work from recipes. It is more fun to just experiment. What you should do to make a proper sort of spiced chai is to get some loose Ctc cut Indian tea from an Indian store or online. Beloved Indian brands are Wagh Bakri, Taj Mahal, Lipton Red or Yellow Label (the Indian versions Not the American Lipton, which is a weak American blend unrelated to the Indian brands), or any other strong Assam black tea that you can find. The Ctc type of tea looks like dinky tiny balls. They are basically a "cut tear curl" cut of tea which infuses very well into water, making a strong black solution. Take a few cups of water and boil in a pot.
HOT DOG FLAVORED
Put in any teaspoons of this Ctc or other strong black tea and let it simmer for a few minutes with a spoon of the chai spice blend, the tea masala mentioned earlier. Let the tea and the spices mix in a slow simmer for about 5 minutes. You can now add milk (enough to lighten to a nice creamy muddy color) and turn up the heat until it hits a boil, then back off and simmer for a few minutes. You can either add sugar or sweetener to the whole batch or by the cup. This is a drink meant to be sweetened. If you do not want sugar or are diabetic, you can use artificial or other sweetener.
I prefer stevia but xylitol also works well. (xylitol can be fatal to dogs - not that you would give the chai to a dog but I mention it anyway) Now you can use a strainer to catch the loose tea leaves when you pour the hot spicy brew into cups, or a tea kettle, for serving. Indian citizen use fancy tea brewers for this whole process. If you desire strict amounts, you can actually find them online straight through any of the major crusade engines.
Spicy chai is a refreshing and lovely spiced tea drink. In India they have roadside tea stalls and vendors that sell it by the cup. Using a proper spice mix (or your own milling of the listed spices) and a good capability strong Indian Assam tea is the way to go. Do not use the pre spiced bags of tea except in dire situations when you cannot do better, like if you are at work. Tea is a wholesome drink and the spices in spiced chai are very wholesome for digestion and full, well being.
Cinnamon alone is great for holding blood sugar levels in check, especially if you sweeten your chair with stevia or other non sugar sweetener. Strong Assam tea contains many more antioxidant properties than weak market tea that many the in the West and in America think of when they think of tea. Many citizen who claim to dislike tea just never had whatever except the pathetically flavor lacking types they find in the local supermarket. A good capability black tea should look at dark as fresh brewed coffee when wholly steeped in water.
Spicy chai can open up other world of flavor sensation, and it can be as satisfying to the taste buds as an entire meal, without the fat of a full meal. Get yourself some tea masala and some Assam black tea and try it for yourself. You won't be sorry.
production Spicy Chai Indian Style Tea at Home HOT DOG FLAVORED
0 comments:
Post a Comment