Chai for Indians is like coffee for Norwegians. "Bed tea" is what people call it, the first thing they drink in the morning. I still have this habit, after meditation in the morning, I start my day with a really big cup of masala chai and Bixit biscuits! Well…. We all have some vices, that's one of mine.
Indian chai (which means tea) is made with milk, sugar and spices. By adding milk and especially cardamom , you remove the thein effect which is the same as caffeine in coffee. When I say sugar, it must be mentioned that in the past it was molasses or brown sugar while today, unfortunately, everyone is a fan of refined white sugar. Most people know that chai and coffee are just as addictive as other stimulants.
From ancient times, chai was something the Rishis (old wise men) used to relieve sore throats, colds and fevers. Herbs and ginger were crushed and boiled with water, this was also an invigorating drink for those who had to work early in the morning in the fields. That was before black chai was discovered, which became a pleasure drink after the English. The pleasure drink chai is made from black tea which is actually "cozy" and has little (no?) health effect, then you should drink green or pure herbal tea.
In winter, cinnamon chai is especially good, I like to vary the spices and have both my own chai masala or pure flavors. The amount of milk can vary from taste to taste but here I stick to whole milk, fat helps to enhance the flavor so if you make chai with low-fat or extra-low-fat milk, it will probably be amazing! This can of course be made with other types of milk for allergy sufferers.
Cinnamon Chai
3 dl water
3 g cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon good Assam chai
1 dl milk of your choice
Sugar as desired.
Procedure:
Crush cinnamon stick in a mortar. Boil water with crushed cinnamon, add chai and let everything boil together. Add milk and bring everything to a boil. I don't use sugar, as cinnamon gives a slightly sweet taste. Strain, enjoy immediately! If you want the recipe for chai with ginger, you can find it HERE .