One Cup of Hot Chai

Garam Chai
Chai is Chai and Tea is Tea
Garam Chai
Chai is Chai and Tea is Tea

What is Tea called in Hindi? Definitely not Chai. What is Chai called in English? Definitely not Tea. Chai and Tea have been consistently drifting apart, they are today two distinct products with only one common ingredient “Tea Leaves.” The similarity ends here. Tea is becoming more and more delicate and more and more polished and more and more elite. Chai is becoming more and more arty, more and more functional and more and more desi.

What makes a Chai different to tea? These ingredients are a must to be added to Tea Leaves for it to be called  Chai: Green Cardamom; Holy Basil; Cinnamon powder and Ginger. There is a lot more which can be added, but these four are essential. The other thing is that Chai needs to be cooked and not configured.

Hot Chai Recipe

1. Add milk with water 1/4 and 3/4

2. Add Green Cardamon (Hari Elaichi), Holy Basil (Tulsi), Cinnamon Powder (Dalchini) and Ginger (Adrak) in small quantities in Milk and Water and mixture and get it to boil.

3. Reduce heat and add a good quality strong tea (Assam)  and let it simmer

4. Once it gets to boiling point, turn off the heat, let it settle for two minutes.

5. Get it to boiling point again. Transfer to cups

6. Add sugar to individual tastes and serve with biscuits/ cookies which can be  dunked

Enjoy!