flipMasala Chai
Masala Chai
Why this dish? Spiced chai, tea boiled with milk and spices, is the quintessential Indian hospitality drink — the one offered to every visitor. In an activist home where strategy was discussed for hours, the teapot of chai never ran dry: it is the liquid that accompanied a thousand discussions.
Black tea simmered with milk, cardamom, ginger and cinnamon, sweetened and served piping hot — comforting and fragrant.
No one is received without offering them a chai, that's the rule of the house. I boil the tea strong with the milk, crush a few cardamom pods and a piece of fresh ginger, and let the froth rise and fall three times over the fire — that's the whole art. How many plans, disagreements, reconciliations were forged around my cups of chai! Here, take one well sweetened: one always talks better about serious matters with a cup in hand.
- •Strong black tea — a few spoonfuls (base)
- •Milk — half the cup (creaminess)
- •Cardamom — a few pods (signature fragrance)
- •Fresh ginger — a piece (warmth)
- •Cinnamon — a stick (spiced sweetness)
- •Sugar — to taste (sweetness)
Masala Chai
Black tea simmered with milk, cardamom, ginger and cinnamon, sweetened and served piping hot — comforting and fragrant.
Why this dish? Spiced chai, tea boiled with milk and spices, is the quintessential Indian hospitality drink — the one offered to every visitor. In an activist home where strategy was discussed for hours, the teapot of chai never ran dry: it is the liquid that accompanied a thousand discussions.
No one is received without offering them a chai, that's the rule of the house. I boil the tea strong with the milk, crush a few cardamom pods and a piece of fresh ginger, and let the froth rise and fall three times over the fire — that's the whole art. How many plans, disagreements, reconciliations were forged around my cups of chai! Here, take one well sweetened: one always talks better about serious matters with a cup in hand.
Ingredients (period version)
- Strong black tea — a few spoonfuls (base)
- Milk — half the cup (creaminess)
- Cardamom — a few pods (signature fragrance)
- Fresh ginger — a piece (warmth)
- Cinnamon — a stick (spiced sweetness)
- Sugar — to taste (sweetness)
Ingredients
- Loose black tea (Assam/Ceylon) — 2 tsp (base)
- Water — 250 ml (infusion)
- Milk — 250 ml (creaminess)
- Cardamom pods — 4, crushed (fragrance)
- Fresh ginger — 1 thin slice (warmth)
- Cinnamon stick — 1 small (spiced sweetness)
- Sugar — 2 tsp (to taste) (sweetness)
Method
- Bring water to a boil with crushed cardamom, ginger and cinnamon, let simmer 2-3 min.
- Add the tea and let steep 1-2 min.
- Pour in the milk and sugar, bring to a boil again.
- Let the froth rise then lower the heat, repeat two or three times to blend the flavours well.
- Strain into cups and serve very hot.
How it was made : Boiled chai (as opposed to tea infused the English way) arrived with Indian communities. The gesture of letting the milk 'rise' several times over the fire concentrates the aromas; each household adjusted its spices and sugar. The chai teapot was at the heart of South African Indian sociability.
The contemporary twist : An iced version poured over ice in summer, or a pinch of grated nutmeg when serving.
Sources : Zuleikha Mayat, Indian Delights, Women's Cultural Group, Durban, 1961
Amina Cachalia · Charactorium
