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Indian Chai Masala

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Tea  is the most prominent drink of India. Today, India is the world’s 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

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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.

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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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