Masala Chai - Your Recipe?

[Harkiran Kaur]

I decided to try out some of the loose leaf tea I brought back from India. I brought two bags... both Tata brand, but one is 'Premium' and has a mixture of a few different teas, and the other is 'Gold' - not sure what the difference is between them.

Anyway first time trying to make masala chai from scratch. Just guessing based on taste I used cinnamon, cardamom and cloves... plus sugar and milk. It turned out tasting pretty close to what others have made for me. Was I close? Did I miss any spices? What's your recipe? ...or is it a family secret?

:gingerteakaur:

note: I remember there used to be a recipe forum here I thought anyway... but I can't seem to find it?? If this is in the wrong section pls feel free to move it. I put it here for lack of a better place.

 

[spnadmin]

Akasha ji

There is still a recipe forum. Go to Sikh Youth, then to Health and Nutrition, then to Cooking and Recipes.

I will move this for you.

 

[spnadmin]

p/s

This is what I came up with

You'll need:
2 cups water
1/2 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black peppercorns
4 whole cloves
4 cardamom pods, bruised
1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
2 cup whole milk
2 tbsp. demerara sugar, to taste

http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-best-masala-chai-youll-ever-have.html
2 tbsp. loose black tea, preferably a malty Assam

 

[Taranjeet singh]

Indian restaurants, esp. in the city where I reside, have generally stopped using cinnamon in Tea though it is used by some families. My cousin who is in US has informed me that he is using cinnamon for regulating Blood Pressure. I do not know if it is medically proven or not.

Yes, ginger is used in many households these days for aroma and taste.Like wise cloves are not an ingredient in our Cup of Tea.It may be individual preference. Milk and sugar to taste; and many health/calorie conscious people are shifting to sweeteners and prefer Black tea.

Some families have a preference for lemon grass tea as the Bed tea...

 

[spnadmin]

Taranjeet ji

I am curious about the use of "pepper" in the list of chai ingredients that I posted from the food blog. It does not surprise me, and could in small amounts liven the other spices, give the chai a bite. I am a hardcore lassi enthusiast. My favorite is salt lassi - no mango. Yogurt, only a tad of crushed ice, and some hing, black pepper, a pinch of cardamon, and crushed mint. The pepper brings all the other flavors out .... uhmmmmmmm ! To me that is the one and only. My husband on the other hand will only go mango.

 

[Taranjeet singh]

Taranjeet ji

I am curious about the use of "pepper" in the list of chai ingredients that I posted from the food blog. It does not surprise me, and could in small amounts liven the other spices, give the chai a bite. I am a hardcore lassi enthusiast. My favorite is salt lassi - no mango. Yogurt, only a tad of crushed ice, and some hing, black pepper, a pinch of cardamon, and crushed mint. The pepper brings all the other flavors out .... uhmmmmmmm ! To me that is the one and only. My husband on the other hand will only go mango.

First I take up your query about Tea.

Black Pepper /or Pepper Korn are used in Restaurants along with Asafoetid[Hing],Fennel seed[saunf], Nutmeg[Jaiphal], Holy Bessels[Tulsi] and Caron seeds[ Ajwain] in proportion that may vary from one restaurant to another.

They prepare Masala[Mixture] of these as per their own choice/preferences keeping the customer taste in mind.

My wife tells me that she also uses these ingredients for Masala Tea especially in the evening.
In yoghart the ingredients are the same as mentioned by you.Your husband also has a refined taste. You like asian piquancy and that is Great!!!

I am checking out and shall attend to your response in about 5/6 hours.

And Lo! what am I doing on Sikhi Forum.....Hummmmm....:sippingcoffeemunda:

 

[Harkiran Kaur]

First I shall answer your query about Tea.
Black Pepper /or Pepper Korn are used in Restaurants along with Asafoetid[Hing],Fennel seed[saunf], Nutmeg[Jaiphal], Holy Bessels[Tulsi] and Caron seeds[ Ajwain] in proportion that may vary from one restaurant to another.
They prepare Masala[Mixture] of these as per their own choice/preferences keeping the customer taste in mind.

Wow those are totally different spices than what I would have guessed! When I tried it tonight, as I said I used cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. And that mixture came out tasting pretty darn close to how it tastes when they make it at the gurdwara and when I have had it at friend's homes. I'm not a nutmeg fan at all... I can taste that in anything, so I don't think anyone around here uses it.

 

[SaintSoldier1699]

For me Ghur (Jaggery) is what makes my tea do :cheerleaders:

Tea is an amazing drink, so many versions, techniques, ingredients and not to mention the social aspects. Great thread, think I will throw some cloves in the cuppa tonight before bed :singhsippingcoffee:

 

[spnadmin]

Taranjeetji


I am going to experiment with both the fennel and the dill in chai next time I make it. Usually I drink the chai Thailand-style which has dried orange peel in the mix of spices.


It is a great thread.

 

[Ishna]

My experience goes as far as what you can buy from the supermarket in a little baggie. :grinningkaur: