Chai

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For other uses, see Chai (disambiguation).

For the Jewish symbol, see Chai (symbol)

A cup of Chai.

Chai (Arabic: شَاي, Hindi: चाय, Urdu/Persian: چاى, Russian: чай, Turkish: çay ^[1]) is the word for tea in South Asia and the Middle East, mainly India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and the other regional countries. It is a derivative of the Chinese word cha (茶) for tea. Synonyms in other languages are the Bengali chā, the Marathi chahā and the Tamil Thaeneer.

In a typical South Asian household, chai is prepared by boiling loose leaf tea in a pot with milk and water. Depending on personal preference, various spices and/or sweetner may also be added at this stage. What many English speakers tend to think of as chai is, therefore, more strictly known as masala chai, (Hindi (मसाला चाय [masālā chāy], "spiced tea"). Indian markets all over the world sell various brands of "chai masala," (Hindi चाय मसाला [masālā chāy], "tea spice" ), though many households blend their own.

In India, chai is more popular than coffee, and "chai wallahs," or street vendors, are a common sight in many Indian neighborhoods.

1 Preparation
2 See also
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Preparation

A boy in India preparing Chai

There is no fixed recipe or preparation method for chai and many families have their own special versions of the tea. The key to making good tea is to leave the tea leaves (or tea dust) in the hot/boiling water long enough to get the flavor of the tea but not too long. Excessive exposure of tea to heat will release the bitter tannins in the tea leaves. Due to the huge range of possible variations, masala chai can be considered a class of tea rather than a specific kind. But all masala chai has the following four basic components:

Tea: The base tea is usually a strong black tea, such as Assam, so that the various spices and sweeteners do not overpower it. CTC-grade teas are often used, as they infuse quickly and strongly. However, a wide variety of teas can be and are used to make chai. Most chai in India proper is brewed with strong black tea, but Kashmiri chai is brewed with gunpowder tea. Sometimes the drink is prepared with tisanes such as rooibos, and even with the South American beverage yerba mate, though these innovations are entirely Western.
Sweetener: Plain white sugar is sufficient, though unprocessed sugar, molasses, honey, and other sweeteners can be used for various flavors. A surprisingly large quantity of sugar is required to bring out the flavor of the spices; one recipe uses three tablespoons of sugar in 3.5 cups of chai.
Milk: or other such creamers. Usually, whole milk is used for its richness, but any milkfat concentration will do. Soy milk offers a good alternative for vegans or lactose-intolerant people.
Spices: Traditionally, Masala Chai is a bracing, strongly spiced beverage brewed with so-called "warm" spices. Most masala chai incorporates one or more of the following: cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, star anise, peppercorn, and cloves. Other possible ingredients include Nutmeg, chocolate, cocoa, vanilla , licorice or saffron.

Chai can be prepared in many ways. The most common way is to boil water with the sugar and spices, add tea and milk/creamer and then proceed to simmer it for a few minutes. It is then strained and served.

The green tea-based Kashmiri version of chai is brewed with almonds, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, and sometimes saffron. Many Western commercial preparations such as Oregon Chai are strongly flavored with vanilla and honey, with other flavors far less dominant. This results in a far mellower, "cozier" beverage than most Indian masala chais, with a markedly different flavor.