Masala chai

History

The word for tea in most Indian languages is "chai" derived from the Chinese word cha. Tea however became a popular beverage introduced to India by the British. Tea plants have grown wild in the Assam region since antiquity, but historically, Indians viewed tea as an herbal medicine rather than as a recreational beverage.

In the 1830s, the British East India Company became concerned about the Chinese monopoly on tea, which constituted most of their trade and supported the enormous consumption of tea in Great Britain of around 1 pound (0.45 kg) per person per year. British colonists had recently noticed the existence of the Assamese tea plants and began to cultivate tea plantations locally. In 1870, over 90% of the tea consumed in Great Britain was still of Chinese origin, but by 1900, this had dropped to 10%, largely replaced by tea grown in India (50%) and Ceylon (33%).

However, consumption of black tea within India remained low until the promotional campaign by the Indian Tea Association in the early 20th century, which encouraged factories, mines and textile mills to provide tea breaks for their workers. It also supported many independent chaiwalas throughout the growing railway system.

Tea was promoted as served Indian style, with small added amounts of milk and sugar. The Indian Tea Association initially disapproved of independent vendors' tendency to add spices and greatly increase the proportions of milk and sugar, thus reducing their usage (and thus purchase) of tea leaves per liquid volume. However, chai later firmly established itself as a popular beverage.

Preparation and ingredients

Preparation

Masala chai is composed of three major components: masala, chai (or tea), and milk. Recipes and methods of preparation for chai can vary by geography and family.

One way to prepare masala chai is to simmer spices in a pot of water. Tea is then added to the pot and brewed to preference. After brewing, the tea and spice mixture is strained, and milk or cream is added.

A common Maharashtrian method for preparing one cup of chai is to first combine one-half cup of water with one-half cup of milk in a pot over heat. Sugar may be added at this point or after. Ginger is then grated into the mixture, followed by the addition of tea masala, typically consisting of crushed ginger, crushed cardamom, lemongrass, cloves, and cinnamon. The mixture is brought to a boil, and one teaspoon of loose black tea is added.

Tea

Black tea is typically used as a base in most chai recipes. The most common type of black tea is from Assam; however, a blend of different tea variations may be used. Assam, Darjeeling, and Nilgiri are the three most common types of tea used in chai in India.

Spices

The spices used in masala chai most often include cardamom, grated ginger, and cinnamon. Also used are cloves, star anise, black peppercorns, mint, lemongrass, and more.

Masala chai in western India often excludes cloves and black peppercorns. A small amount of salt is often added to chai in the region of Bhopal. The Kashmiri version of chai is brewed with green tea instead of black tea and has a more subtle blend of spices with a pinch of salt. This version is a bit savoury and is pink in colour, due to the addition of baking soda.

Milk

Traditionally in India, milk from water buffaloes is used to make chai. Although whole milk is usually used in masala chai, some people prefer alternatives such as soy milk or skimmed milk.

Sweetener

White sugar, brown sugar, demerara sugar, honey, and jaggery are all used as sweeteners in chai.

Consumption

Consumption in the Indian subcontinent

Small vendors (called chaiwalla in Hindustani (Hindi-Urdu), etc.; cha-wala in Odia, Bengali, Punjabi, etc.) are found by the side of every highway, road and alley – often the only establishments that will be open through the night. They generally also sell tobacco and snacks. Many will deliver tea to people's places of business in a chaidaan, a wooden or metal frame carrier for cups. Chai is sometimes served in a kulhar.

In Mumbai, roadside tea stalls serve small, inexpensive cups of tea called 'cutting chai'. They're so called for being a full-size, full-price cup of tea "cut" in half.

In Pakistan, masala chai is usually brewed with milk and sweetened with spices like cardamom, cinnamon and/or cloves.

Consumption beyond the Indian subcontinent

Masala chai is popular in East Africa and the Caribbean. It is also popular in the Gulf Arab region, where it is known as Chai Karak (Arabic: شاي كرك, Urdu: کڑک چائے). The drink was popularized by South Asian expatriate communities in the region.

In the West

Since Starbucks introduced its chai tea latte in 1998, chai beverages have become popular at coffee shops across the United States, often made from a syrup or concentrate. Chai with added espresso is commonly called a dirty chai.