It’s already December and what better way to warm us up than a cup of spicy aromatic tea blend from exotic Kashmir. This traditional recipe is flavoured with cardamom, cinnamon, and almond flakes for a rich, semi-sweet and nutty flavor. In addition to being delicious, this tea is also Organic, Fair Trade Certified and Biodynamic.
There is no such thing as a tea time in India nor is there such a thing as preparing a cup of tea. Tea is prepared by the potful throughout the day and shared among family and friends. A coworker once asked me how to make a cup as she had never used a tea bag and water dispenser before. She was so used to boiling a pot that the idea of a single cup was foreign to her. Tea is considered an essential part of any meal or snack, whether to be served with or to finish the meal. It greets the morning, energizes when you need a pick up and calms you down after a long day. It welcomes guests and at the end of the night, sends them on their way. In fact, although India is the second largest producer of tea in the world, 70% of the tea it produces is consumed domestically.
Although undocumented, the camellia sinensis plant was indigenous to some regions of northern India and had been used as a beverage long before the British introduced it for commercial growth and popularized it throughout the country and the world. The flavour loving Indians of course added their own twist to the beverage and masala chai was born!
The traditional way to brew chai is to measure 1 part milk, 1 part water and 1 teaspoon of tea per person. Everything is brought to a boil in the pot then strained, served promptly and sweetened to taste.
For a simpler method, steep one generous teaspoon in a cup of boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Water that isn’t hot enough will make for a weak infusion while water that is over-boiled looses oxygen which results in a very flat flavour. Strain the tea then add milk and sugar to taste.
Happy Holidays!
