Fabulous Chai Tips - recipe's up to u!

itgirl

I'd like to contribute a few tips to making authentic chai at home.

~ Buy a good quality loose-leaf tea. My favourite is Brooke Bond Taj Mahal brand. Red Label is similar and readily available abroad but its not nearly as tasty.

~ Use light half-and-half (5% fat) to re-create the creamy texture of buffalo milk. I believe the same effect can be created by making a reduction of water and milk but I'm not too sure how that's done! Any pointers?

~ Use a raw sugar to get a richer flavour than the mere sweetness granular white sugar tends to accomplish!

~ Stating the obvious here but do NOT make chai in a kettle! And don't even touch the monstrous decoction starbucks has created. That's cheating!

~ Serve the chai scaldingly hot. How to do this without that icky skin forming on top is a mystery, but it's authentic!

~ Invest in a good tea strainer and morter n pestle for fresh spices. Whole Foods has the best tasting spices around. I have yet to check the local Indian market here, but previously ground spices are an absolute no-no!

Enjoy.


More tips welcome!!

somnath

Hi itgirl,
Welcome to Indiamike. Good to see your Chai tips. There is a thread regarding tea making and all, you may find it interesting:
It's about the tea

And here is another link that speaks about Hot Darjeeling Tea Recipe:, Darjeeling Iced Tea Recipe:, Darjeeling Lemon Tea Recipe:, Darjeeling Hot Spiced Afternoon Tea Recipe:, Darjeeling Tea Fruit Cup Recipe:, Darjeeling Tea Punch Recipe:, Darjeeling Tea Ice Cream Recipe:, Darjeeling Tea Jelly Recipe:…..

http://www.darjeelingnews.net/darjee...a_recipes.html

Cheers,
Somnath

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itgirl

Hi Somnath. Well that sure is a lot of darjeeling!

I find darjeeling tea quite dry. But I haven't had the real thing, really.

I just wanted to add to this thread that masala chai is best had outside of any vaguely western, sterile establishment. Strangely enough, the grungier the place the better the chai. The Rs 3 chai at an Irani cafe beats 'em all at 5 stars. Cafe coffee day and Barista don't even sell it! Oh, the irony. Every coffee shop here has some horrid chai concoction.

aadil

If you haven't had the real thing yet then try out the Tea Centre at Resham Bhavan next to Churchgate station. It serves some of the best Darjeeling tea in town and you can also buy it from their tea shop next door. Try the FTGFOP (Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) First Flush or the season's special or the white tea. I am sure you will love it!!! And forget about using the milk in the tea as it ruins the original taste of tea!!! Just the way I love having tea, need not be yours though!!!

Cheers,
Aadil.

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Vibhu Jindal

If its Tea .......then u cant keep Aadil away for long. ( He is a vetreran in this matter and i know its for ones own better to follow his advice..)...Aadil when can i look forward for a tea session at Tea centre with u ?

trust me try honey instead of sugar in tea especially those in which milk is added..and if thats not availible then brown sugar....white sugar dosn't stand even near them in matter of taste.

Try honey with fresh Orange peako Darjeeling leaf tea without milk........yummmmyyyyy

one more thing in Kashmiri Kahwa also put only honey as sweetner as it used to be before advent of sugar in kashmir Valley...double yummmmmmmmmmmmmy

Tea - brought by Britishers, grown by Indians, Loved by the world, worshiped by Indians.

aadil

Hi Vibhu,

Just let me know when you are there and we can meet up. And about the sugar in the Darjeeling tea or Kashmiri Kahwa I prefer it without any sugar!!! Sugar should be added only when you don't like the taste of the tea!!! And I hope it is the right kind of "brown" sugar if you really want to add sugar to the tea!!! HAHAHA!!!

BTW, I'm no veteran but just a small time tea lover!!!

Cheers,
Aadil.

somnath

Hope you'll accept an addition.....
art of life to the Japanese ( http://mcel.pacificu.edu/as/students/tea/ceremony.html )

It will not be wrong if I say Japanese are more religious than Indians regarding Tea -
"Tea with us became more than an idealization of the form of drinking; it is a religion of the art of life." - http://mcel.pacificu.edu/as/students/tea/home.html

Cheers ,
Somnath

Vibhu Jindal

Hei Aadil you have to just tell me the time and as i have said previousley i am always ready.....my office is near by so tell me any time after 6 PM and ill be there.......

On weekends any time of the day will do.....ur the one with irregular work hours ....so i leave decision upto you.
and ur anything but "small tea lover"

Somnath - i am aware of the importance of tea to japanese but its more of a ritual that must be done and it isn't something from the heart ( more of the strict traditions which they maintain to display how proud they are of their cultural heritage) whereas in India tea is a ncessity, something without which life is un-imainable and the variety availible is immense ( as immense as the plethora of our prevalent gods)
Hence when it comes to worshipping tea....India is way ahead of Japan

aadil

Hi Vibhu,

How are you placed today at 6pm at Flora Fountain where we see some books and then go off for some lovely Darjeeling FTGFOPFF tea?!!! Let me know by 4pm by PM or call me at home.

Cheers,
Aadil.

Vibhu Jindal

i am all ready for it
vibhu

narsimha

How about some specific recipes for masala tea?
Preferably that has been adulterated with milk/sugar/cardamom/pepper/etc.

aadil

Hi Vibhu,

Hope you enjoyed the tea and liked the place too!!!

Cheers,
Aadil.

Vibhu Jindal

well under ur guidance sir.......nothing goes wrong

Am sure we both had a good time at that tea session

First Flush Tea with Honey + Warm waffles with butter and honey + Babycorn mushroom and bell pepper salad + Apple pie....

Could anything be better??

Naaaaaaaaah.......I dont think so..

somnath

Possible !!!! When you set some sort of 'rule' for anything, it is possible .

Well, Adil and Vibhu good tea session!!!! Wish I could attend and enjoy a cup of Silver Tips (that’s my favorite) with you.

somnath

Narsimha,
http://www.recipezaar.com/94606