Who does not love a CUPPA CHAI in an Indian household. We all do. Day or Night, nothing gets us on our toes more than a strong cuppa chai. From generations and centuries this drink was made for all, visitors, households, travelers, tourists…to name a few types of consumers. No one can go wrong when it comes to making chai in your kitchen. All you need is a pot to boil water ;) You will also need water, cream or milk, sugar, tea leaves. I prefer couple of brands that you will easily find in an Indian local grocery store at a very reasonable rate or even online on the link below.
The proportion I stick to is 1:1:1/2, makes 1 cuppa chai.
1tsp tea powder
1 cup water
1/2 cup cream or milk
1 or half tsp sugar
1/2 tsp chai masala
A cup and saucer
and a stainer
Take your pot and add water and tea powder to it. Let boil for a good 5-7 mins till there are bubbles. Then add your creamer and turn down the flame to simmer, go on and add sugar and chai masala. Stir with a ladle so the sugar dissolves well. Bring it to one or two bubble boil. Turn off the heat and put a lid on the pot. This will let the tea leaves settle at the bottom of the pot and also bring out the pleasant color and flavor to the tea itself. You need to smell it before you consume it…then you’ll realize what am talking about :)Now you can lay the strainer on the cup and pour the tea out as per your likable quantity.
Serve it warm or piping hot just the way you like it. I like to have my tea or coffee pipping hot, if I don’t burn my tongue on the tip I won’t enjoy this beverage. We all know tea can keep you awake and alert as it has a good caffeine amount in it. So preferably like me, you could have it at the start of your day, never after noon, as that could keep some of us awake till late night.Well that’s my experience am sharing with you readers. In our culture it’s considered to be consumed only by grownups and never elementary or middle school aged youth.
The brands I recommend is Red Label Tea (Orange Pekoe) and Taj Mahal (Orange Pekoe). I have linked them below.
I would always make chai only the required amount, never have I had it stale. I do see stores selling refrigerated beverages like CHAI and coffee, but believe me, if you have tasted the homemade warm original version, you won’t ever go back to the ready to drink version. Because my friend the home made version will get your pinkies up in the first sip. Hahah…!!!
*****Chai Masala Powder is available for sale in 4oz glass jars via VENMO*****
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