I have a couple questions about masala chai?

Question

1. does this website provide all of Masala chai's traditional Indian recipes? http://www.culinaryteas.com/Masala_Chai.html

2. does it make a difference if most major spices such as cardmom seeds are black or green, whole or already crushed and aged? are there are any particular spices that add an essential flavor such as: Ajwain, Allspice, coriander, chocolate, licorice root, or nutmeg? Do any individually need to be prepared in a particular way?

please inform me! Oh and thank you for all your help YAers retrospectively and presently you've saved me so many times!

Answer 1

The website is good, thanks!  Masala chai is just spiced black tea with milk ---- there is no set specific recipe.  Just use your favorite spices.  Some people prefer a stronger cinnamon taste, others like blk pepper, some like nutmeg.... you get the picture.  The ingredients are based on your own personal preferences, there is no right or wrong.

Here's another good website:

http://www.odie.org/chai/recipes.html

Answer 2

This is a traditional recipe for chai that we have been making for years and years

Mixture for the chai masala:



100 grams dry ginger powder

25 grams cloves

100 grams whole black peppercorns

60 grams cinnamon, broken small, or 40 grams ground

1/2 nutmeg, crushed

35 grams green cardamom pods

1/4th nutmeg grated

Combine all of the spices and blend well in an electric grinder to make a fine powder. You only need a small quantity for each cup of chai, say just a little less than half a teaspoon. store the rest for in an air tight container. A full recipe will keep you stocked full of chai for months.

To make the chai:

For each cup of tea take 1 cup water and half cup milk. Add about half teaspoon of chai masala, 1 tsp tea leaves and sugar as per taste and boil till the mixture reduces to about 1 cup. Strain in a cup and enjoy your chai.

Answer 3

Your specific query

Green Cardomom pods have better flavor than the Black Cardamom pods. The pods are cracked open

In the olden days Mulathi (Licorice root) was added but it went out of fashion

Another recipe.. In North India it is simply called Garam Chai.

Click on following

http://www.indiacurry.com/beverage/b001c...

Garam Chai or 'Masala Chai' (Hot tea latte) recipe

Chai is Indian tea made with milk. Garam or Masala Chai is a tea brewed with spices sugar and milk

Chai is Indian version of Hot tea latte. As a child, I remember hawkers yelling "Garam Chai" and "Samosa" at every railway station in India. Chai was sold in a ½ pint size earthen (terracotta) tumblers called 'Kulhar'. The main ingredients of all Chai are Black tea, Milk, Sugar, Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger & Green Cardamom pods. Other ingredients are optional. Garam Chai is also called Masala Chai.

Ingredients

1. Water: 2 Cups

2. Milk: 4 Cups

3. Sugar: ¼ Cup

4. Cinnamon stick broken up: 1 Inch

5. Cloves: 6 whole

6. Green Cardamom pods cracked open: 6

7. Whole Black peppercorns: 6

8. Ginger powder: ½ teaspoon

9. Fennel seeds: 1 teaspoon

10. Tea bags: 3

11. Nutmeg: Pinch

Half n half cream

Vanilla bean (Optional)

Method

Add items 1 through 11 in a pot. Bring to a boil. Simmer on low heat for half an hour. Let it cool. Remove tea bags. Don't remove the spices. Strain the tea mixture before serving. Put in a nice jar and tighten the lid. To serve add ¼ cup Half 'n Half cream to ¾ cup of strained tea mixture. Heat in microwave and serve. It should stay fresh for about one week when refrigerated.

Note: To accentuate taste further, add Vanilla bean and substitute sugar with honey

Answer 4

oh wow, looking at the answer above me, that's alot of work to do for masala chai that most of us desi (ppl frm the Indian subcontiennt) can make so easily at home...

most of the time, we take just one spice, either ginger or cardamom or cinnamon (any one spice) n' just boil it in water for about 5 mins before adding the tea powder or milk n' stuff.....

that's the simplest version, make at home version....

the version I see above, that includes the grinding n' concentrating n' all are probably the original, most authetic way of making chai, but I think few do that, n' this is comin from Desi