Chai Tea - Quick Version
Chai, pronounced with a long i as in the word tie, is the actual word for tea in many countries. It is also called masala chai (Masala meaning spiced). It is a centuries-old beverage from India which is basically black tea brewed with selected spices and milk. The spices vary from recipe to recipe, but is traditionally consumed hot and sweet. Play with the flavors and make this tea your own! This is a great alternative to coffee.
Chai, pronounced with a long i as in the word tie, is the actual word for tea in many countries. It is also called masala chai (Masala meaning spiced). It is a centuries-old beverage from India which is basically black tea brewed with selected spices and milk. The spices vary from recipe to recipe, but is traditionally consumed hot and sweet. Play with the flavors and make this tea your own! This is a great alternative to coffee.
- 2 cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- dash nutmeg
- 3 black tea bags or 1 tablespoon loose organic black tea (
- 6 whole green cardamom pods crushed or about 1/4 teaspoon seeds
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger root peeled and sliced
- 1 (6-inch) piece vanilla bean (cut up into 1-inch pieces) or
- 4 black peppercorns
- stevia to taste (try a flavored stevia!)
- Carbohydrate 17.0109577287475 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 4.80559482790331 g
- Fiber 9.68934310938312 g
- Protein 1.56670020532445 g
- Saturated Fat 1.34702112651411 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (501g)
- Sodium 75.8470685601486 mg
- Sugar 7.32161461936433 g
- Trans Fat 1.44540278711294 g
- Calories 85 calories
Step-by-step
- Decaffeinated tea leaves can also be used, but increase the amount of tea by either 1 teaspoon loose tea or 1 tea bag to make up for the loss in flavor.
- In a large saucepan, add the water, tea bags, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla bean, peppercorns and brown sugar. Bring just to a boil; then cover and reduce the heat to low. Let simmer for approximately 5 minutes depending on how strong a spice flavor you want. Strain mixture through strainer or coffee filters; press on the spices and tea with a spoon to extract all the fragrant liquids.
- NOTE: Many people make the tea base ahead of time
- Serve hot or in a tall glass filled with ice.
- Store unused portion in the refrigerator.
- Makes 3 cups.
Fresh ginger root drives the aromatic profile of this spiced brew, carrying sharp pungency that anchors the heavier notes of cinnamon and cloves. Crushing whole green cardamom pods rather than using pre-ground powder releases essential oils immediately upon contact with simmering water, preventing bitterness from muddying the cup. Whole spices require adequate extraction time to yield their full flavor spectrum, while black tea leaves turn unpleasantly tannic if boiled beyond five minutes.
Scaling and Storing the Concentrate
Adapting this method for different volumes requires balancing the water-to-spice ratio carefully. Doubling the batch necessitates a saucepan holding at least two quarts to prevent vigorous boiling liquid from spilling over heating elements. Pressing firmly on the spent tea bags and whole spices inside a fine-mesh strainer extracts maximum aromatic oils before serving. Unused liquid concentrates store safely in glass jars kept in the refrigerator for up to five days.
- Water volume reduces by roughly twenty percent during a standard five-minute simmer.
- Decaffeinated black tea leaves require a twenty-five percent increase in weight to compensate for flavor loss during processing.
- Loose leaf tea yields a cleaner liquor than bagged varieties when filtered through a paper coffee filter.
