Tea and Sweet Things

A t the end of a meal, in the late afternoon, for a morning starter, a cup of really good tea with something sweet and delicious. Chai (it just means tea) is ubiquitous in India. it is the national drink and it is prepared in so many ways that you can be delighted again and again as you try new versions in restaurants or on your own.

Chai culture in India began with the British. the British East India Company brought back tea from Assam and the ruling British contingent drank the same tea and the idea that this was right and good took hold all over the subcontinent. But tea—black with milk and sugar— was never up to the Indian palate's demand for exciting flavors, so maslala chai, blending spices like cloves, cardamon, ginger, and cinnamon (and many others) was inevitable.

The sweets of India are varied and spectacular in color, shape and flavor. I will be talking about them in a future post. If you're reading this, you've heard of gulab jamun (mini donuts in syrup) and kheer (rice pudding) and perhaps gajar ka halwa (the scrumptious carrot cake), but they aren't a scratch on the surface. An online search turns of lists of "35 best" out of so many. Ladoo and Burfee, Kalakand, Jalebi just to start and then explore away.

The Tea

is a new whole world of flavors to explore. Black tea is the base of delicious masala chai and Assam, in northeast India is where the richest black tea is produced. It's brisk, with a malty flavor the blends beautifully with aromatic spices. Upton Tea Imports Season's Pick is an organic loose leaf that I find delicious. The company has teas from all over the world. I won't give you a recipe here. I feel chai has such a strong need for personal preference that i can only give general instruction. So it will be up to you.

Chai Spice Blend

Ginger, clove, cardamom, cinnamon, peppercorns (black, green, pink), fennel, are what I use, sometimesbarely crushed, sometimes ground to powder. I make a blend, try it, tweak it, change it completely. You can also just buy a good blend and skip this step entirely. I really enjoy Upton Tea Imports Traditional Masala Chai.

The Process

I do have a process. It isn't etched in stone, but it works for me. Boil the water first. Add the tea and boil for 1 minute, then lower heat to a medium or medium low and add the spices ( the proportions are up to you. Experiment.) After about 3 minutes, add the sugar and 30 seconds later, the milk or cream. Lower to a simmer. Let the milk incorporate. Use a ladel to churn the final product by pouring from the ladel back into the pot from a foot or more above. It's fun the watch everything churn. Strain and pour into your favorite cup. Enjoy.