How To Make Chai Tea

Chai tea is a type of tea that is becoming increasingly popular in many western countries, as its health benefits are becoming more and more well known. It is one of the most commonly available drinks in India, where it is simply referred to as "chai". In countries like the US, "Chai tea" is used to denote that type of tea which is distinctly flavored with a mixture of unique spices, which are the ingredients that make the tea so sought after and unique.

Chai tea has many proven health benefits. It is a pain reliever, it energizes when the individual is feeling tired or fatigued, and it improves focus and concentration without the major side effect that coffee has - causing restlessness. It is also used to immunize the body against many types of infections. In addition, all the spices used in the Chai tea have their own unique contributions towards good health. For example, clove is a pain reliever and an antiseptic and cinnamon is known for its function as a regulator of blood sugar.

Chai tea has three basic ingredients - the "chai" mix, which is the mix of all the spices, the black tea, and milk. While making it, one can make sure of its good quality by checking on three aspects. The first is that the raw tea should be organic, so that the final product is strong and of a fine quality. Second, the spices should be fresh, and should be fragrant. Third, there should be a perfect mix of the tea and the spices. So that one does not overpower the other in taste or fragrance. Even within the "chai" mix, it should be taken into consideration that every is evenly distributed, and that too much of one single spice is not present. If so, the final taste will be ruined. The perfect Chai tea requires perfect blending and balance.

To make a cup of good quality, original Chai tea from scratch, the ingredients required are 3/4th cup of water, 4 pods of cardamom, 1 slice of ginger, about 1 inch of a cinnamon stick, a whole clove, 1/3rd cup of milk, 1 1/2 tea spoons of Assam tea, and about 1 table spoon full of Agave syrup. The cardamom and cloves are crushed together, put in water along with all the other spices, and brought to boil. The mixture is then simmered for a period of 5 minutes, after which milk is added to it, and the entire mixture is then brought to almost its boiling point, after which the heat is turned off. The brew is kept still for a few minutes so that the tea infuses into it, and then it is served after adding sweetener.

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