Indian chai story

Have you ever tried "chai"? Chai is an essential ingredient when talking about India. My Indian husband drinks chai first thing in the morning with his breakfast, and in the evening (I'm surprised that tea time is around 5:00 pm!) he drinks chai with a snack before dinner. Masu.

Chai has established a certain degree of recognition in Japan, and now the famous Starbucks sells drinks like ``Chai Latte,'' and Kadi and other places sell instant chai that can be mixed with hot water. is on sale.

You may order chai at a cafe to enjoy a different feeling than usual, or you may brew it instantaneously, but it is still rare for people to boil tea leaves at home and use spices to brew authentic chai. Is it not?

I think the way chai is brewed and the spices used in Indian homes vary depending on the family.

At home, we use sliced ginger, powdered cinnamon (I really want to use whole ones!), cardamom, cloves (both are whole ones, not powdered ones), and sometimes black pepper.

The trick is to first boil water with just the spices in a pot, and wait until the aroma of the spices has transferred to the hot water before brewing the tea leaves.

Once the tea leaves are brewed, let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes (I like it strong, so I add about 3 teaspoons of tea leaves to make enough for 2 people), then add the milk and sugar.

Boil the milk a little, being careful not to spill it out of the pot, and it's done.

(The ratio of water and milk is about 2:1 at my house.)

Strain the tea leaves and spices through a tea strainer and enjoy in your favorite cup!

In the first place, the origin of chai dates back to the British colonial era. The high-quality tea leaves produced in India are taken to England, and what remains in India are the scraps of poor-quality tea leaves that cannot be sold. In order to make the remaining tea leaves more delicious, the strong people of India have devised a way to bring out the flavor by adding sugar, milk, and spices.

Chai has a history that cannot be called a luxury, but it seems to have enriched the lives of people in India for many years as a necessity.

By the way, if you have a cold, try making and drinking chai without milk! My mother-in-law in India taught me that when I have a sore throat or a bad cough, I make a lot of it and drink it slowly. This works surprisingly well. Please try it once!

chai

#Indian food