- Description
- Tasting Notes
- Pairings
- Brewing Instructions
- Ingredients
Indian spiced tea, or masala chai, is widely drunk in India. Each family has their own recipe for making this sweet, milky drink but the most commonly used spices are green cardamom, cinnamon and cloves which are simmered in a mixture of milk and sugar. Other spices such as star anise, fennel, ginger and black pepper may be added as well. It is usually drunk in the colder months or during the monsoon to warm or comfort the body and is enjoyed in Northern India all year round, especially at breakfast time or in the evening.
Our Indian spiced chai is a mixture of 8 aromatic spices with a malty rich BOP Assam tea as the base. The result is a beautifully balanced drink which can be drunk black or alternatively simmered with milk,( or equal quantities of milk and water ), to produce a comforting chai. Add sugar or honey to taste.
The black Assam tea leaves are generously interspersed with pieces of aromatic spices including chunks of cinnamon, ginger and cardamon. The smell is rich and spicy. The tea brews a light copper colour with a spicy aroma overlaid with tea notes. On sipping the flavour is a delicious balance of malty Assam tea and warming spices. This classic tea is equally delicious drunk black or simmered with milk and sugar as it is traditionally drunk in India. For a punchy milky style spiced chai double the quantity of tea to liquid.
The spices in the tea would enhance any milky or fruit dessert. Or try the milky version of the chai with hot curries to match the aromatic spices but also for the milk to calm the palate.
Black tea: By the cup using an infuser: - 2.5g / 1 heaped tsp / 200ml / 100c/ 3-5 minutes.
By the tea pot: Warm the pot. Allow 1 teaspoon/ 2.5g per person and one for the pot. Heat freshly drawn water to boiling point and pour briskly over the leaves. Stir and leave for 3-5 minutes.
Chai : 6g / 2 heaped tsp/ 200ml milk or equal parts of milk and water. Add sugar or honey to taste. Simmer in a pan for a least 10 minutes. Sieve. Pour from one cup to another a few times to aerate the tea creating a froth and a richer mouthfeel. A little ground cinnamon or nutmeg can be sprinkled on top to finish
Infusion Accessories
Black: By the cup using an infuser or using a teapot and sieve. Chai : In a pan to simmer.
Assam tea leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, saffron, cloves, ginger,black pepper and fennel seeds.