Masala tea: recipe, composition, properties, benefits and harms

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Masala chai is a hot drink with milk and spices. It was invented in India, but over time it conquered the whole world. In Europe, it is customary to brew elite varieties of tea. But in the homeland, masala is made from the simplest and most affordable ingredients. This is a truly folk drink, the recipes of which are a great many. We present to your attention the best of them. But first, a little history.

History of occurrence

There are still disputes about the origin of masala chai. India is just one of the options. Some researchers confidently point to Thailand. This drink has been known for over 3000 BC. It became widespread in 1835. At this time, the British opened their first tea plantations in the province of Asaam. They used the services of slaves and tried in every possible way to increase their efficiency. Then they started giving masala tea to the workers. A few years later, the invigorating drink began to be actively sold in local cafes and restaurants. However, tea is expensive. To reduce the cost,cunning merchants began to dilute it with spices. As a result, he gained popularity first in India and then around the world. In the second half of the 20th century, the drink became widely available and very common. The Indians made it part of the national culture. They call it a descendant of karhi - an ancient drink that instills strength and vigor in a person. You can find out what masala tea tastes like and how to brew this unusual treat from our article.

Interesting facts

Did you know that picking tea leaves is hard manual labor? They are carefully collected from each bush. And only those that grow at the very top are considered elite raw materials. An Indian worker is required to collect thirty kilograms of tea in one day. For this hellish work, he receives only a couple of dollars a day.

There are a huge number of teas on the market. In India, fruit, flower, black, green, soothing, white are sold … It is impossible to enumerate everything. The generally recognized favorite is the Darjeeling variety. However, the most famous is masala chai. It is found on the menu of any cafe or restaurant, they are treated to Indian families, it is incredibly popular among tourists.

Interestingly, masala is made from ordinary cheap black tea. And what makes it unusual is the unique mixture of spices and milk. This tea is the drink of the poor. To the question of a curious tourist, a rich Indian will answer importantly that it is not customary for them to drink a drink with spices.

Masala has no generally accepted recipe. It's hard to find classicbecause it doesn't exist. However, it is known that it contains four essential ingredients: tea, hot milk, spices and a sweetener.

Method 1: Generic Masala Chai

Ingredients:

• milk - 600 milliliters;
• water - 200 milliliters;
• black tea leaves - two tablespoons;
• sugar - two or three teaspoons.

Spices:

• cinnamon - one stick;
• cardamom - two or three pods;
• peppercorns (black) - six pieces;
• fresh ginger root - 3 cm piece;
• dried cloves - three pieces.

Cooking method:

1. First you need to grind the spices. Cinnamon must be broken in half. Crush cardamom and black pepper in a mortar, and grate the ginger root on a fine grater.
2. Then you need to pour one liter of water into the pan, bring it to a boil, add tea to it and let it boil for one minute over low heat.
3. Next, pour milk into the mixture, add spices and sugar. After that, you should simmer the aromatic liquid under a loosely closed lid until the sugar is completely dissolved. This will take two to four minutes.
4. Then you need to turn off the stove, let the drink brew for one minute, add cloves to it and pour into cups.

Method number 2: masala tea with oranges

Ingredients:

• water - one liter;
• black loose tea - two tablespoons;
• orange - two medium-sized pieces;
• sugar - to taste.

Spices:

• cardamom - five or six boxes;
• cinnamon - one stick;
• nutmeg - one half of the fruit;
• ground black pepper - one teaspoon;
• fresh ginger root - 2 cm piece;
• cloves - two pieces.

Cooking method:

1. First of all, you need to grind the spices. Break the cinnamon in half, grind the cardamom in a mortar, grind the pepper, grate the ginger and nutmeg on a fine grater.
2. Next you need to do the orange. There is no need to clean it. It is enough to wash and pour boiling water for one minute. After that, the fruit should be cut in neat circles across the slices.
3. Then you need to put the water on the fire and wait until it "noises". As soon as small bubbles appear, you can add tea and pre-prepared spices.
4. Then you need to wait until the mixture boils, and immediately add orange slices to it. After that, turn off the stove and let the drink brew for two to four minutes.
5. Toss a couple of cloves into it before serving.

It turns out surprisingly tasty and fragrant masala tea. If desired, you can add a couple of anise flowers to it or replace the orange with lemon. The effect will be no less impressive.

Method number 3: with fennel and star anise

Ingredients:

• water - two cups;
• milk -one cup;
• black tea - a tablespoon with a quarter;
• sugar - to taste.

Spices:

• cardamom - two pieces;
• black pepper - two peas;
• star anise - one star;
• cloves - two pieces;
• fennel (seeds) - half a teaspoon;
• grated ginger - one teaspoon;
• carnation - half a stick;
• nutmeg - one pinch;
• dry rose - some petals.

Cooking method:

1. First of all, you need to grind and mix all the spices.
2. After that, bring milk, water and tea combined in one container to a boil.
3. Next, turn off the fire and add spices to the liquid.
4. Then the drink should be left to infuse for 10-15 minutes.
5. In conclusion, it must be filtered.

This is how great masala chai is made. The recipe is extremely simple and suitable for everyone.

Method number 4: with unground spices

In this version, the spices do not need to be chopped. They can be left in their original form by collecting and putting in a small bag of thin fabric. Gauze is fine too. Then the bag is lowered on a string into the water with tea and taken out only after it is well infused.

Spices:

• cinnamon - four small sticks;
• cardamom (seeds) - one teaspoon;
• cloves - 10 pieces;
• vanilla powder - one teaspoon.

Ingredients:

• water - five cups;
• black tea - a quartercups;
• milk - three cups;
• honey - a quarter of a cup.

Cooking method:

1. First you need to pour water into an enamel pot.
2. After that, you need to take a bag of spices and place it in water.
3. It should be placed so that it is easy to reach later.
4. Then you need to bring the water to a boil and reduce the temperature to a minimum.
5. Next, the spices must be simmered over low heat for about 10 minutes. Strong boiling may damage the product.
6. Next, turn off the stove, add black tea to the liquid and leave to infuse for two to three minutes.
7. After that, you should take out the bag of spices and add milk, honey and vanilla to the drink.

So our masala tea is ready. Now you know how to brew this wonderful treat with unground spices.

Method number 5: spices first

First you need to mix and bring to a boil two cups of milk and water. After that, it is necessary to thoroughly grind and pour the following spices into the liquid:

• cloves - four pieces;
• cardamom - grains from two boxes;
• black pepper - two peas;
• cinnamon - one stick;
• fresh ginger - a piece the size of an orange slice.

Next, boil the seasoning for a couple of minutes, turn off the heat and add two tablespoons of black tea to the fragrant mixture. It will infuse for three to four minutes. Two spoons of sugar and you can enjoy a wonderful drink!

Cooking secrets

1. You need to follow certain rules to make delicious masala chai. The recipe involves the use of expensive Darjeeling tea. This is optional, but among lovers of a black drink with spices, it is a priority. In India, strong and tart Assaam is preferred. Available for all budgets, it is in high demand.
2. Milk to create tea should be fat - from 3.6 percent.
3. The drink is very bitter without sugar. So from the very beginning you will have to come to terms with the fact that it will be high in calories. Any sweetener can be an alternative - Jerusalem artichoke syrup, agave, stevia, etc.
4. Honey should not be used when serving a drink. Masala chai is usually drunk hot, and heat destroys the value of honey.
5. Dry spices are ground just before cooking. You can use a regular coffee grinder to grind. Ground spices instantly lose their taste and aroma, so they are not recommended for long storage.
6. Spiced masala tea should not be drunk often. It is pleasant to savor it separately from the meal. The best time is a cool summer or overcast winter evening.
7. A leisurely ritual of tea drinking can be supplemented with a couple of pieces of dark chocolate or dry pastries without cream. A slice of your favorite cake will do. Then you will have nothing to fear for your figure.

On the benefits of tea

The benefits of masala tea cannot be overestimated. It contains a lot of useful substances that have a warming, tonic,immunomodulatory action. In addition, the drink is credited with healing properties. We list all the benefits of this tea:

• Stimulates the immune system. With pepper, ginger root and honey, masala becomes a powerful weapon against bacteria and viruses.
• Invigorates and refreshes. There are many spices in masala chai. They speed up the metabolism, give a lot of energy. If you drink a drink in the morning, then you should season it with mint, star anise, fennel. They will relieve tension, relieve stomach cramps, remove headaches and absent-mindedness.
• Improves digestion. If you add fennel and cinnamon to the drink, it will allow you to successfully cope with heartburn and intestinal disorders. In addition, you will forget about morning sickness, bloating and diarrhea.
• Has a warming effect. Masala tea contains ginger root, black pepper, and cinnamon. These spices accelerate the blood in the body. This will make you feel much better.
• Increases mood and efficiency. Indians say that after tasting the tea we are describing, people forget about coffee forever. Masala has an incomparable aroma. And we have already talked about the invigorating effect. At the same time, there is not a drop of harmful caffeine in the drink.
• Improves heart function. Tea with cinnamon, black pepper and coriander reduces the risk of blood clots, strokes, strengthens the walls of blood vessels. The heart muscle also becomes stronger.
• Decreases appetite. A couple of cups of a drink with nutmeg - and you will forget about food for the rest of the day. It cleanses the body of toxins, speeds up metabolism and fights excess calories.

This is not all the information about the miraculous properties of masala tea. It's no wonder it's appreciated all over the world.

Possible harm

Drink with spices can hurt those who suffer from stomach ulcers. A sharp taste causes a large release of gastric juice. And that, in turn, can cause pain and spasms. In addition, tea is contraindicated for people with lactose intolerance. Keep this in mind when filling your treat with milk. The above problems are the exception rather than the rule. Since the invention of masala tea, reviews about it have only been positive.

Conclusion

Our article allowed you to immerse yourself in the wonderful world of Indian tea. Masala is good for its unpredictability. With each preparation, he surprises with new shades of aroma and taste. So stock up on spices, buy high-quality black tea - and go ahead, for new sensations! Bon appetit!