Tea is a universal beverage that can make anyone feel better and more refined, regardless of background or location. In addition, it is an affordable and straightforward pleasure and a harmless mood booster.
Growing Indian Tea
While growing the tea plant is easy, it can be unexpectedly challenging to produce high-quality tea from it.
The plant from which tea is derived is called Camellia sinensis, an evergreen bush. It is similar to vine grapes (Vitis vinifera) in that they are both single-plant species with many variations.
Tea plants are ideal for plantations in warm, wet tropical climates with significant rainfall due to their shiny, pointed, and stiff leaves. They can grow well at low elevations and altitudes above 8,000 feet above sea level.
Tea bushes at lower altitudes may produce more tea, but the highest quality tea comes from those grown at higher altitudes. In the past, tea was grown from seeds, but nowadays, clones of bushes with desirable traits are carefully selected and used instead.
Tea quality is affected by various factors like soil quality, garden management, precipitation, elevation, and manufacturing techniques. Despite coming from the same plant, different types of tea are derived from distinct manufacturing processes.
Popular teas in India
Tea drinkers have a wide variety of options when choosing the perfect cup! From bold and full-flavored black tea, which has been fully oxidized for an intense taste; oolong with hints of floral and fruit notes from its partial oxidation process; crisp yet delicate green tea that is entirely unoxidized; mellow white teas dried in natural sunlight without oxidation involved at all; sweet yellow teas special processed by artisans or pu-erh created through secondary fermentation – each one offers unique aromatics and flavors.
Most of the world’s high-quality black teas are produced in India. When deciding what tea to use when making an Indian tea recipe, consider the following facts:
Darjeeling tea is known as the “champagne of teas” and is highly sought after worldwide. The largest tea-growing region in the world is Assam, located in North-Eastern India. Assam tea is known for its high strength, and the area produces the most tea in the country. The country’s largest tea research center is also in Assam. Assam tea is known for its robust and full-bodied flavor and is commonly used to make karak chai.
Nilgiri, a region in southern India, is renowned worldwide for its fragrant high-grown teas that produce a bright and brisk cup when steeped.Sri Lanka’s Nuwara Eliya, Dambulla, Uva, and Ratnapura regions also produce black teas. Other countries such as China, Indonesia, Java, Argentina, Turkey, Iran, Russia, Vietnam, Nepal, Kenya, and several African countries also produce black teas.
Ayurveda Of Indian Tea
Chai or Indian tea has several health benefits, as it aids digestion and enhances agni, which is the digestive fire. Moreover, black tea balances all doshas during autumn and winter while providing sustained energy.
Spiced tea is a good drink for the morning. It has less caffeine than coffee and can help your digestion. But if you have trouble sleeping or are anxious, get decaf tea instead. Also, if you have an imbalanced pitta, be careful with the spices.
Individuals with a Kapha dosha are generally laid-back and may occasionally benefit from consuming moderate amounts of caffeine.
Since Indian tea uses warming spices, if you have a Vata imbalance or Pitta constitution, it is recommended to avoid this recipe.
It’s important to understand that not all teas with caffeine are equal. While black, green, and white teas all contain caffeine, the quantity of caffeine in each type of tea leaves varies.
Green tea, for instance, has less caffeine than black tea, and white tea has the lowest caffeine content of the three.
Masala Tea
Chai masala is a tea latte with spices. Chai tea is a sweet, spicy, delicious, and healthy beverage. It has a subtle spiciness can be felt at the back of the throat.
Homemade Masala Chai Recipe
Indian masala chai tea can be made using masala chai tea bags, loose tea leaf blends, ready-made ground chai spice blends, or concentrates. We recommend using whole spices, a common practice for many Indian families.
The traditional recipe for chai masala, also known as tea spice, consists of the following:
- green cardamom
- cloves
- ginger
- black pepper
- cinnamon
Other variations may include these other spices:
- nutmeg
- star anise
- mace
- ajwain
- saffron
- lemongrass
- fennel seeds
- rose
- mint
- tulsi
Here is an easy masala chai recipe for you to make at home.
This recipe yields four serving cups with a serving size of 8 ounces. The preparation time is 5 to 10 minutes, and the cooking time is 15 minutes.
Ingredients
Either eight teaspoons of loose-leaf black tea or eight black tea bags
Four cups of water
Two cups of whole milk. For Kapha types, it is recommended to use unsweetened almond milk instead of whole milk. You can also consider oat milk.
Two tablespoons of dry ginger powder or grated fresh ginger root. If you want a spicier taste, add more.
Two Ceylon cinnamon sticks
One-quarter of a teaspoon of whole-hulled cardamom pods
One-quarter of a teaspoon of whole black peppercorns
Two anise pods
Ten whole cloves
If you like, add one teaspoon of honey per cup. If you prefer a more barky taste, consider using maple syrup.
Never add sugar when you drink chai. You will miss some of the best flavors all the spices give it.
Directions
Put the milk and water in a saucepan. Put a cover on it. Turn the heat to high.
Heat the liquid until it almost starts boiling. Then lower the heat until it just bubbles a little bit.
Spice Preparation
Start preparing the spices while you wait.
Cut the ginger into tiny pieces. The smaller you cut it, the stronger the flavor will be.
Put the ginger and black tea in the pan when it gets hot.
Put the cardamom, black peppercorns, and cloves into a clean grinder.
If you don’t have a spice grinder, you can use either a mortar and pestle or a blender to grind spices.
Aromatic Spices Tip
To make the spices taste stronger, grind them into a fine powder.
Turn the heat down when the liquid starts to bubble. Then, put in your spices and cinnamon stick.
Chai Recipe Tip
To prevent a bitter taste when brewing black tea, add the loose black tea after the water has come to a boil.
Let it simmer until it’s ready.
Set the stove to low heat and let it cook for 15 minutes.
Cover the pan with a lid, but open a tiny space so liquid won’t come out.
Make sure to stir the mixture a few times.
Milk Tea Tip
Full-fat milk is the best to mix the flavors and won’t let the hot tea stick to the pan.
How To Serve
Use a fine mesh sieve to strain the tea.
Serve masala chai hot in mugs for serving.
Drink masala chai hot or warm with biscuits.
Never reheat leftover chai. If the chai has been sitting out, it’s best to discard it. It’s ideal for drinking masala tea when it’s fresh.
Kadak Chai
Kadak chai (or karak chai) is a solid and popular type of tea with a spicy flavor. It is made with Ayurvedic and herbal ingredients. Its name comes from the Hindi word “kadak,” which means strong.
In India, having kadak masala chai is customary after almost every meal. So whether it’s breakfast or an evening snack, hot chai is essential to complete the experience.
Ginger Tea
Drinking ginger tea, also known as Adrak chai, can be good for your intestinal health due to its ability to stimulate the production of digestive enzymes with the help of ginger. This accelerates the process of digestion.
Adrak Tea Recipe
Ingredients
Four cups of water
Either eight teaspoons of loose-leaf green tea or eight green tea bags
A large piece of ginger
Two cardamom pods
The juice of two lemons
If you like, add one teaspoon of honey per cup.
Directions
Add the water to a saucepan.
Once it is boiling, add the loose tea leaves or the tea bags.
Then add the rest of your ingredients.
Please ensure that you cook these items on low flame for 5 minutes.
Once you smell the ginger tea, you can turn off the stove.
How To Serve
Serve this chai recipe to your guests by pouring it into cups. As with all hot beverages, be careful not to drink them too hot.
Mint tea
Pudina Chai, also known as Indian Mint Tea, is a milk tea recipe from India that uses fresh mint leaves, milk, black tea leaves, and jaggery. Drinking it can be soothing and warming, and it may provide quick relief from cold symptoms.
Pudina Chai Recipe
Ingredients
Four cups of water
Four teaspoons of Darjeeling tea leaves
Four sprigs of fresh mint leaves. To make mint tea, you should use fresh and tender mint leaves. The best type of leaves to use are organic ones.
Whole milk
You can substitute almond milk for whole milk to make the recipe healthier.
If you like, add one teaspoon of honey per cup.
Directions
Bring your water to a boil.
Wash the fresh mint leaves.
Fill the saucepan with the mint leaves, the Darjeeling tea, and the milk.
Pour boiling water into the mixture. Next, turn on the burner and set it to high heat.
Place the saucepan on the flame and remove the heat when the tea bubbles too much.
How To Serve
Once the tea has turned into a lovely deep shade, you can pour a glass and sweeten it with your preferred amount of honey.
Holy Basil Tea
Tulsi tea is made from holy basil leaves, which have natural anti-microbial properties. Drinking tulsi tea can help fight harmful bacteria and germs in your mouth while freshening your breath.
Tulsi Tea Recipe
Ingredients
Four cups of water
Four teaspoons of green tea
Eight basil leaves
Two green cardamom pods
One large piece of ginger
One tablespoon of lemon juice
If you like, add one teaspoon of honey per cup.
Directions
Get a big pot and put it on the stove. Turn the heat to high.
Add water to the pot.
To prepare, boil the mix of tulsi, green tea, chopped ginger, and cardamom.
Turn the heat on your stove to medium and let it cook until the water goes down by half a cup.
Tulsi Tea Tips
To enhance the flavor, consider adding cloves or crushed black pepper.
How To Serve
Strain the tea. You can serve tulsi tea hot with a dash of honey and lemon juice.
FAQ
Is masala chai healthy for the whole family?
Black tea is beneficial due to its antioxidants that can reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes by fighting free radicals. In addition, Chai Masala spices also have anti-inflammatory properties.
The main concern when giving black tea to kids is its caffeine content. Children are more susceptible to the effects of caffeine in black and green tea due to their lower body weight. Consuming tea can cause insomnia and potentially affect heart rate and blood pressure.
What are the differences between masala chai and chai tea latte?
A latte is a drink made with frothy steamed milk. Chai, on the other hand, is a type of tea. Combining the two creates a tea-milk beverage.
What are the advantages of using loose tea compared to tea bags?
Tea powder has a more robust flavor compared to tea bags. It also contains higher amounts of antioxidants and other beneficial compounds. In addition, tea powder allows for more creativity in creating custom flavors by adding different ingredients, such as spices or herbs.
