If the stranger say unto thee that he thirsteth, give him a cup of tea.
— Confucius
In the last few years masala chais have taken the United States by storm. Every day there is a new brand to try, new versions in tea and coffee shops to sip, new ways to cook with masala chai — or chai latte, as the beverage has come to be called.
Masala chais are now, I am happy to note, a fixture on the menus of the most sophisticated of coffee bars, in restaurants, and even on the grocer’s shelf. Those who have already discovered masala chai have been as calmed and nourished by this drink as I. Abdicators from the “Camp of Coffee” have recognized that all the fun of coffee drinks is inherent in chai lattes, too: foamy beards of milk, a bite from the spices that replaces the buzz of coffee’s caffeine, and the sweetness of honey or sugar.
Perhaps, unlike the soothing nightcap of warmed milk or hot chocolate of our youth, masala chai’s spices make it an infinitely more sophisticated and adult drink. Certainly it is interesting, even surprising for the innocent palate.
As always, American manufacturers have added invention to convention. Today’s choices cover every dietary requirement or restriction you can imagine: unsweetened, low-fat, decaffeinated, lactose-free. Or consider chai made not with tea but herbs for an entirely new beverage with the classic spiciness of traditional chais. Whether it’s because of our heritage of a strong dairy industry or our nation’s predilection for sweets, chai lattes created by U.S. firms and those made in shops and restaurants are much sweeter and creamier than the Indian classic ever is.
For convenience, try ready-to-drink bottles and aseptic boxes, tea bags, and liquid concentrates for large groups or for cooking. Some powdered mixes only require adding hot water; some brands enclose a scoop to make sure you put in just the right amount of mix to liquid. Both concentrates and powders tend to be sweeter and milkier than chais made from scratch, but there is no argument that they are mighty easy and neat to prepare. And if you have a cappuccino machine at home, the milk steamer is an ideal tool for heating milk for your chai, making the tea frothy and milky at the same time. (See here for recipe.)
Reading the ingredients list on American chais is frequently an eye opener, though. The milk may not be a dried milk powder; in fact, it may not be milk at all, but a nondairy creamer. In addition to sugar and/or honey, there may be corn syrup, sucrose, and other sweeteners. Most prepared chai mixes do not contain full-leaf or even broken-leaf teas, but either tea powders or concentrates made from tea.
Fortunately for lovers of the leaf, there are also masala chais that emphasize the tea — excellent choices of spice-infused loose-leaf tea that you can brew up yourself, adding sweetener and/or milk to your individual taste. You needn’t forsake a taste for fine tea to enjoy masala chai. Many companies have developed a variety of chais made with high-quality black tea or fine green tea and lots of tasty, freshly ground spices.
Spice-tea blends that contain only tea and ground spices enable you to add the milk of your choice: soy, rice, oat, or cow’s milk. You can also mix in the sweetener of your choice in the amount that suits your palate, like brown or white sugar or honey.
Whether you create your own spice blends, use prepared blends, or buy a preblended tea, the basic spices used in most loose-leaf spice teas are cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Most chai lovers agree that this beverage cries out for experimentation, so follow your instincts about quantities and adding other spices like pepper, allspice, fennel, or your personal spice favorites.
Karen Benke is a writer who teaches in the California Poets in the Schools program, which brings the magic of poetry to children in all grade levels. Ms. Benke’s own poetry and short fiction have been published in several literary journals and anthologies. She is completing her first novel.
Autumn finds me in class, with another cold. I am standing at the chalkboard in Jacquie Faber’s third-grade classroom, coughing.
As a teacher in the California Poets in the School program, I introduce poetry to eager children. Today I ask my eight-year-old students to put metaphors into their poems. “Instead of saying something’s very good or really hot or as lovely as lovely can be,” I sniffle, “give me a picture of what’s good, hot, and lovely.”
Students show me the November sky and their grandmother’s herb garden, and the mountain where they found their first favorite rock. Listening, Ms. Faber hands me a warm mug of something steamy she has just prepared, saying, “Have some chai?” She smiles one of her blessed smiles, then sits down to write her own poem.
Looking out the tall windows at the maple trees, I breathe in cinnamon, love, and kindness.
Anyone can enjoy a masala chai these days no matter what the food allergy, dietary restriction, or taste preference. The objective is to make a hot (or iced) drink that excites the palate, calms the nerves, and pleases the stomach.
So you like the frothy taste of chai but you’re lactose-intolerant? The answer is easy: Use either oat, soy, or rice milk. Best of all, the quantity of milk used for both lactose and nonlactose drinks is the same; if the recipe calls for 1⁄4 cup of milk, then 1⁄4 cup of oat, soy, or rice milk will do. You can also use fat-free oat, soy, or rice milk, although you will not create as rich tasting a drink. Increase the spices and/or the sugars to compensate for the lack of richness due to the reduced fat content in the milk.
Your favorite chai recipe can take on the consistency of a cappuccino if you add steamed milk. Prepare the chai brew as usual then, at the same time, pour the tea and the warmed milk into the cup. If you have an espresso machine with a milk steamer, using it will greatly enhance the texture and flavor of the hot milk in your drink. Serve in a heavy white porcelain cup and saucer, add a sprinkle more of cinnamon or cocoa, and you have a chai “cappuccino.”
Who doesn’t love sweets? Still, if you’re counting calories, or if you’re a diabetic, you won’t even miss chai’s sweetener if you amp up its spices or use whole or unsweetened condensed milk. The spices will add a complex flavor profile, and the condensed milk will create a frothy rich taste that will more than compensate for sweetening. Using saccharin, aspartame, or other sugar substitutes does not work well with chai because these artificial sweeteners leave a decidedly bitter aftertaste. Add a pear juice or apple juice concentrate if traditional sweeteners are not for you.
There are two points of view regarding decaffeinated chais: Use a decaf black tea as a base, or use an herbal brew as a base. My personal choice is to use rooibos, from the African red bush, or to use red clover, a common herbal tea available everywhere herbal infusions are sold. Each takes well to the masala spices.
If decaf black tea is your choice, opt for a decaf breakfast blend, decaf Assam, or decaf Keemun. The natural heartiness of these teas will give you that tea “bite” without the caffeine, and stand up well to the masala spices. An alternative choice is a decaf Nilgiri.
Now that you know how to make traditional and popular chais, it’s time to uncork the imagination and transfer the taste of masala chai to other foods and drinks. I hope these inspire you!
Here’s a fun twist on masala chai. Simply brew your favorite black tea chai recipe and let it cool, then strain out the tea and spices. Add two scoops of vanilla, ginger, or mocha ice cream to a blender jar, pour in the chai, and blend until frothy. (If you want to be adventurous, add fresh fruit like strawberries, cantaloupes, or bananas for a creamy frappe.) Pour into a chilled tumbler and serve with a long spoon and straw. Yum!
2 servings
Personal chef Carolyn Manzi added a little punch to packaged powdered chai mix and came up with this universal winner. This is very sweet and chocolaty.
What could possibly be better than a cup of hot, frothy chai? Chai with rich, velvety chocolate, of course!
2 servings
On cold, damp, wintry days on Cape Cod, this chai recipe really hits the spot. It was created by personal chef Carolyn Manzi.
The typical chai spices blend perfectly with liqueur in this variation on the traditional hot toddy.
4 servings
Just as there are hundreds of masala chai recipes, Kashmiri chais vary, but all use light spices and are boiled for hours. This recipe is considerably less intense than most, yet it has both strength and delicacy in the perfume of the cardamom and almonds.
4 servings
This simple-to-make version of chai is made with green tea, preferably a gunpowder or perhaps a Darjeeling or Assam green.
4 servings
While some green tea chai stalwarts feel that any green tea will do, I prefer the more complex greens of India, like Assam or Darjeeling, which stand up to the spices better. Chinese and Japanese green teas are sweeter and lighter in taste and should preferably be drunk plain. If you prefer Chinese or Japanese tea, using cardamom only is a lovely, and less overwhelming, addition. If you prefer more spices in the green tea, this recipe calls for ground spices, which tend not to overwhelm green teas the way the more biting whole spices can.
Put the cardamom pods in the boiling water and infuse for about 10 minutes. Add the green tea and infuse for another 2 minutes. Add the cinnamon and cloves. Strain and serve. This looks particularly lovely served in dark green or celadon cups to make the brew look even greener.
2 servings
This is great anytime, but especially when you have a cold and do not want to use regular tea. Of course, you could always add the shot of whiskey that most cold toddies call for, but that’s truly optional. Rooibos (African red bush) is available at most herb and tea shops.
Steep the rooibos in the water for about 6 minutes. Add the spices and honey. Strain and serve immediately. Because the rooibos is reddish, opt for a rust- or red-hued mug, or a clear cup to show off the color.
2 servings
Who doesn’t like chocolate? Here’s a way to elevate a chai latte to chocoholic heaven.
You’ll want to use the biggest mug you can find to savor a delicious mocha chai.
1 serving
Any of your favorite chai recipes can be iced. For best results, the tea should be brewed slightly stronger than usual so that the ice will not water down the taste.
Allow the brewed tea to cool slightly, then pour it over ice. For a slushy consistency, pour the chai and ice cubes into a blender and blend for about 30 seconds or as needed. Serve in a chilled tumbler or, for a slush, in a chilled parfait glass for an elegant touch.
The inherent spiciness of chais make them ideal for perking up baked goods. When using cardamom, opt for white for appearance or pale green for best flavor.
12 discreet pieces or 6 hefty servings
9 large servings
This scrumptious cake was developed by enthusiastic amateur baker Gary Stotsky, whose many creative recipes for afternoon tea entertaining have graced the pages of TEA TALK, A Newsletter on the Pleasures of Tea for a number of years.
16 scones
The rich, warm spiciness of masala chai finds its way into these buttery scones created by Chef Robert Wemischner, a pioneer in cooking with tea. The dough can be made in advance if it’s well wrapped and frozen at 0˚F. It will keep in the freezer for up to a month.
These taste best warm and dotted with jam, Devonshire cream, or softly whipped sweetened cream. The recipe can be halved or doubled as desired.
The scones include a premade masala chai concentrate. The spices have been “amped up,” and the dough is topped with a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar just before baking. For a lower-fat version, make these with milk instead of cream or half-and-half.
Add chai-flavored scones to your next afternoon tea menu and watch your guests revel in this new taste sensation.
10 servings
The combination of classic chai spices and all-American apple pie makes this a stunning addition to the holiday dessert table. This version was created by personal chef Carolyn Manzi.