Fun fact - The english word for 'Chai' is 'tea' So, 'chai tea' basically means 'tea tea' 🤦♀️
Chai is a way of life in South Asia. Almost everywhere you go—in trains, on streets, in shops—you will see people gulping down the sweet, spicy, milky beverage. The base of this beverage is the black tea leaves, which are steeped in water along with some spices of your choice, cardamom being the most popular. In the west, "chai" has become known as a flavor of tea with predominantly cinnamon or cardamom notes. But in South Asia, chai is not a flavor of tea; it is tea. The huge variation of chai recipes means the beverage can take on many different flavor directions depending on the ingredients used. Chai is served with some snacks on the side, often a combination of sweet and spicy treats. These can be fried, baked or cooked in any way. Some of the more popular snacks are biscuits (best when dipped in chai 😉), cake rusk, samosay, pakoray, cakes, and the list is endless! The caffiene content in chai is approximately half of what is present in the same amount of coffee, but it is still enough to make it an energizing drink. Chai was initially an evening drink, which people would have after a long day of work to relax and unwind, but it's consumption as a breakfast drink has become increasingly popular in recent years.
Some of the different types of tea
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Doodh Patti
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Masala chai
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Kashmiri chai
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Karak chai
Water, tea leaves, milk and sugar are all you need to make a lovely cup of chai, but you can add anything to give it the flavour you want! Learn more recipes through our newsletter, and enter a draw win a gift box with a variety of tea leaves, and spices to tingle your tastebuds!
This page was coded by Jannath Naveed