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Chai
Chai is a generic word which simply means tea in many parts of the world. Think: Even the word "tea" comes from "chai." And order Chai in an Indian restaurant and the waiter may ask "What, just plain tea?"
What we've come to know as chai, the drink that has become trendy at coffee houses, notably Starbucks, is actually Masala Chai, a spiced and sweetened, milky tea drink from India. The tea can be purchased from street vendors all over India called Chai Wallahs. Ordering a "Chai Tea" is a redundancy along the lines of "Shrimp Scampi," given that the word "scampi" in Italian refers to a kind of shrimp.
Masala chai usually contains a combination of sweet spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves, but exact ingredients vary by region, neighborhood, or even family. Starbuck's Tazo brand of Chai has helped to make Chai a household name in America but their overly sweetened recipe is a far cry from what you'd find sold on the streets of India. According to the Tazo package, the blend includes black tea, cardamom, black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, organic cane sugar, honey, ginger juice, vanilla, citric acid, and various "natural flavors."
Renowned Indian cooking authority Madhur Jaffrey has an excellent Chai recipe in her book Indian Cooking. Ice it and you've a great refresher. FYI: If it's hot it's called Garam Masala Chai.
Masala Chai
Makes 2 cups of tea
1-1/2 cups water
1 inch stick of cinnamon
8 cardomom pods
8 whole cloves
2/3 cup milk
6 tsp. sugar (or to taste)
3 teaspoons any unperfumed loose black tea
Put 1-1/2 cups water in a saucepan. Add the cinnamon, cardomom, and cloves and bring to a boil. Cover, then turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the milk and sugar and bring to a simmer again. Throw in the tea leaves, cover, and turn off the heat. After 2 minutes, strain the tea into two cups and serve immediately.
note
This recipe might be a bit sweet for some tastes. Adjust the amount of sugar to your own personal preference.
