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Indian Chai
Shop Indian Chai,
Shop Indian Masala
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online for Indian Teas and Masala Chai

Tea is
the most prominent drink of India. Today, India is the worlds largest producer,
exporter and consumer of tea. Today's popular drink Masala Chai is more common in
Northern India. It is sold in trains, bus stations, or by vendors (called "Chai
wallahs") GARAM CHAI (meaning hot tea) is usually accompanied with
samosas or pakoras (Indian fried snacks). The vendors serve Chai in low fired clay cups
called "kullarhs", which is hand made out of native clay in open fires. An
average Indian has four chai breaks in a day and at about 4p.m. chai is usually served
with farsan or nashta which are savory snacks ( more info on Indian snacks at the bottom
of this article)
India has 3
main places where exceptional tea is grown -
Assam - is indigenous tea plants of India. A full flavor, very
satisfying tea. Assam teas are strong, well rounded and malty with rich aroma and flavor.
Usually served with milk and sugar.
Darjeeling at 6,000 feet above sea level, boasts at least 68 tea gardens. This
tea is the best in the world due to its perfect growing conditions: cool, moist climate,
high altitude, sufficient rainfall, well drained sloping landscape, and soil rich in
minerals.. This tea has a delicate and superior flavor. I call it the rejuvenating
tea or the spa tea because of its fine taste.
Nilgiri is similar to Ceylon teas grown in nearby Sri Lanka. A full bodied tea
with an excellent fragrance and flavor
Types of
Indian teas
Black Tea : This is what most westerners would think of when they hear the word tea.
Black tea undergoes a fermentation process as part of production. We carry the best
Darjeeling black tea in the world in our store
Green Tea : This is what is commonly known as tea in Asia. Green teas are
unfermented. We carry the best Darjeeling green tea in the world in our store
Oolong Tea : These teas are half way between green and black teas. They undergo a short
fermentation process and so are often known as semi-fermented teas. We carry the
best Darjeeling Oolong tea in the world in our store
Masala Chai : A typical Indian variety. Aromatic masalas are added to
loose tea to make spiced Chai, and this has been the Indian drink of choice for hundreds
of years. It is a perfect blend of freshly ground spices (masala) like cloves, cinnamon,
nutmeg, ginger, cardamom and pepper, added to a boiling pot of loose leaf tea and milk to
make a delicious, satisfying and healthy beverage. We carry masala chai tea bags in
our store
Shop
here for Indian Teas and Masala Chai
__________________________
Tea
Recipes, Chai Recipes, Masala Chai Recipe
Plain
Chai- makes 2 cups
Water 1½ cups
Dried tea leaves (or tea powder) 2 tsp.
Whole milk 1/2 cup.
Sugar as per taste.
1. Heat the
milk for 30 seconds in the microwave.
2. Boil the water.
3. Add the tea leaves.
4. When the concoction starts boiling, remove it from the fire.
5. Divide the milk into 2 cups.
6. Strain the tea into the cups.
7. Remove strainer add sweetener as per taste and stir the tea well.
__________________________
Shop
here for Indian Teas and Masala Chai
Masala
Chai Recipes:
Masala Chai requires heavy stainless steel pots for brewing.
Tea can be brewed in water or directly in milk. Skim milk is delicious for chai. Tea may
be brewed in skim, 2% or whole milk.
For a more intense flavor, grate fresh ginger into chai as it brews.
Basic Recipe
Ingredients
Water by 2/3 cup per person
Milk (whole or skim) by 2/3 cup per person
1½ cups Dried tea leaves (or tea powder) 1.5 tsp. for first person and then 1 tsp.
per person. More than 5 persons reduce per person tea to 3/4 tsp. Brooke Bond Red
label, Mamri, or Taj Mahal Black tea [do not use green tea) For gourmet chai use
Assam Tea Leaves. These variety of Teas may be ordered from www.indianfoodsco.com.
Sugar to taste.
Methods
1. Boil the water in a saucepan.
2. Add the tea spices by a pinch per person or whole spices as explained above. More
if you want it more robust in spices. Experiment for personal taste.
2. Add the tea leaves.
4. When the concoction starts boiling, Add milk.
5. Boil for about a minute.
6. Strain the tea into the cups.
7. Remove strainer add sweetener as per taste and stir the tea well.
Spices
for the tea above per cup or per person
Add a 1/4 inch piece of ginger, crushed with a mallet
1 cardamom pod, crushed in a mortar
1/4 inch cinnamon stick
2 whole black peppers - crushed in a mortar
1 small pinch of fennel
1 strand of saffron
1 pinch of ginger powder
1 Clove
1 pinch of dried mint
One may experiment with combining the above to make many recipes. Popular
combinations are cardamom and cinnamon, ginger with cardamom, clove, cardamom and
cinnamon. Mint is usually used by
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Tea is a
popular social event in India. Indian Tea Time menu which is high tea but in today's
world it can be made into a dinner and an excellent menu for entertaining
Chutney/Cucumber Sandwiches
Thin slices of tomato and cucumber with a spread of cilantro-mint-ginger
chutney on sliced bread.
Bhel Puri
Mix 2 boiled and mashed Potatoes , 1 finely chopped cucumber, 2 finely cut tomatoes
and 1 minced onion with a pack of Bhel Mix (crispy rice, sev or chickpea noodles).
Pour 3 to 4 table spoons of raisin chutney and 1 to 2 tablespoons of mint chutney to
the above mixture. Mix well. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve. - a meal in itself.
Masala Chai
Tea infused with spices, fresh ginger and served with milk and sugar.
Gujarati Farsan or Namkeen
Crispy spicy snack made of rice, chickpea dough and nuts.
Kheer
Indian rice pudding
__________________________
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here for Indian Teas and Masala Chai
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©
1990 to 2009 - Kavita Mehta. All Rights Reserved.
Kavita has been giving classes on Indian Cuisine in Minneapolis for the
past 10 years. She now shares her work on her website for all to enjoy. |
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