Indian Tea..........Ahhh! Chai !

In India, teas are defined by the regions in which they are grown. Therefore we have

• Darjeeling Tea
• Assam Tea
• Nilgiri Tea
• Orissa Tea

"Chai" is the hindi word for Tea. Indian tea is full bodied and strong. Known throughout the world and adored by millions. Today Indian teas come in a wide range of flavors and strengths.

To be invited for a cup of tea, to an Indian house, means that not only will you get a cup of tea, but you will be served a plethora of yummy snacks. Indians are well known for their hospitality. So if you get invited for a cup of tea to an Indian house don't refuse the invitation, go and have a wonderful time.

"Chai making" is a lot of fun. Take the time to make a wonderful cup of Indian tea. Sipping the tea after a great Indian meal and enjoying every sip is time well spent.

Now getting down to the business of making tea. Lets start with the basics.

Things you need:

• Tea : You can use either tea bags or loose-leaf tea. But it is important to remember to use plain or non-flavored tea when making Indian tea. Brooke Bond Red label, Tajmahal Black tea, Lipton Green and Red Label Tea are just some of the famous loose-leaf teas from India.
• Milk - whole, 2% or skim
• Sugar or Sugar Substitute
• Spices (optional)
• Tea cup and saucer or Mug / Cup : To enjoy your cup of tea in.
• Tea strainer : Used to strain loose leaf tea.
• Tea press : Used to press tea bags.

These are the basics. Adding a few spices will make that plain cup of tea into "Masala" tea!

Spices used in making Masala Indian Tea

Some of the common spices that are added to a cup of Indian tea are:

• Ginger
• Cardamom
• Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Black peppercorn
• Khus-khus
• Saunf (fennel seeds)

You do not have to add all the spices to make masala chai. Sometimes " Ginger tea" or "Cardamom tea" is a great alternative. Today you will find a ready made "Masala Tea" mixture in many specialty Indian grocery stores. It is found in a powdered form. You use only a pinch at a time.

Masala Chai
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2/3rd cup whole milk
- 6 tsp. sugar (or to taste)
- 3 teaspoons any un-perfumed loose black tea or
- 4 single tea bags (Lipton)
- 1/4th teaspoon Masala Tea mixture
OR
- A 2" piece of fresh ginger
- A pinch of Cardamom powder

Put 1-1/2 cups water in saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the masala tea spice mixture. Let it boil for a minute. Add the milk and sugar and bring to a simmer again. You may avoid adding the sugar and add a sweetener in the end while serving. Throw in the tea leaves or bags. The tea mixture will rise and many spill over the top, so be aware and remove from the heat (electric stove) or turn off the heat (gas stove). Let it sit for 2 minutes. Strain the tea into two cups and serve immediately. Sip and enjoy!

Plain Chai
Make the same recipe without the masala tea spice mixture for a wonderful cup of plain Indian tea. This traditional recipe is used by many. There are many that like to use half-and-half instead of whole milk. They say that no other milk can be substituted, if you really want the taste of "real chai". But, if you are a tea lover and want tea twice a day, then you can always use 2% or even skim milk.

Other Uses of Tea

• Natural Hair Conditioner : Rinse hair with a mild tea infusion. Leave to dry. Rinse with water. Hair will turn shiny.
  
  
• Skin Vitalizer : Dab a cold, used tea-bag, on the skin. Leave to dry. With regular use your skin should have a healthy glow.
  
  
• Getting rid of black rings under your eyes : Place a cold, used tea-bag, on each eye daily. Relax and watch the difference after a few weeks.
  
  
• Natural agent for aiding in curing Cancer Cardiovascular disease : Scientific discoveries suggest that tea has Flavnoids, an antioxidant that combats free radicals in the body responsible for cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
  
  
• As a cure for Arthritis : According to the scientisists at Case Western University in Cleaveland "Tea contains compounds that may help reduce inflammation and help arthritis. Scientists took two groups of mice and gave them injections of a substance that causes immune reactions similar to those due to rheumatoid arthritis. One group had regular water to drink and the other got water laced with polyphenols, chemicals found in green tea and, to a lesser extent in black tea. Nearly all the mice that drank regular water got arthritis-like symptoms, compared to less than half of the treated mice."