Here’s an animoto video showing my first attempt at making chai. I’ve learned quite a lot about chai lately. Here are a few facts:
- Chai is considered by many to be healthy. The spices in chai have several healing and calming qualities. (Maybe that’s why I feel so good when I drink it!)
- There are many, many ways to make chai.
- The chai we drink in the U.S. is known as chai masala in India. This means “mixed-spice tea.”
- The sugar in chai helps bring out the strength of the spices.
- Chai is always made with black tea.
- In India, chai is sold everywhere by chai wallahs. These chai-makers specialize in preparing chai and selling it on the streets, in villages, at places of work, on trains and buses and anywhere else people may be.
I had fun preparing the chai, but there were many decisions to be made. Every recipe I looked at was slightly different. Some use 2-3 spices while others use 10 or more. Some use whole spices while others insist they must be finely ground. I ended up “synthesizing” ideas from several recipes and experimented with my own version of chai. The result? It was good. Not the best chai, but far from the worst I have had. I would like to make it spicier next time. Still, I did drink three cups of it, so it must have been pretty good, and my kitchen smells great! Until next time.
cc image by kris krüg
