Masala chai is an Indian tea made from black tea leaves and a blend of aromatic spices. Despite having some fixed ingredients, chai does not have a unique recipe, being commonly prepared by Indian families with a very diverse blend of spices. There are, as mentioned, some basic, fixed ingredients that should always be used in masala chai recipes. Check it out below.
Index
fixed ingredients
- Sugar: this fixed ingredient can be simple – white – coconut, palm, yellow, sweetener or honey.
- Spices: ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, star anise, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, among others.
- Black tea leaves: Strong black tea, with a caffeine concentration similar to that of coffee, is what is normally used.
In addition, unlike chai, masala chai will always be prepared with milk, which is normally whole, and in some versions, even condensed milk can be used.
Properties and benefits
With a very peculiar aroma and flavor, Indian tea still manages to bring many health benefits, especially in skin treatment and aiding digestion. This is suitable for people who suffer from problems such as gastritis and hypertension, as well as pregnant women.
When consumed daily, according to Indians, masala chai helps to increase mood. The herb used to make the tea has been used extensively as a slimming formula, so depending on how you sweeten it, it will help promote weight loss as well.
This benefit is also enhanced when there is the addition of cinnamon and ginger – as in the recipe below –, or cloves, which together make up a thermogenic drink.
preparation mode
As we said, there is no fixed recipe, but we will pass on one of the best known.
To prepare you will need:
- 1 glass of water
- 1 glass of milk
- 2 teaspoons of black tea leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 6 crushed cardamom seeds or ½ cardamom coffee spoon
- 1 tablespoon of honey or sugar or sweetener to taste.
How to make?
In a container, put the water, black tea leaves, cinnamon stick, ginger, milk and heat. Allow it to come to a boil and, when it does, reduce the heat by leaving it on low heat for a period of between 5 and 10 minutes. Sweeten to your liking with honey, sugar or sweetener, then strain and consume.
