ISO Chai Tea Mix Recipes

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Angie

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At work we are doing secret Santas. My person wrote down that she loves Chai. I wanted to make her an instant mix and put it in a nice little jar for her. I found this recipe on line...does anyone else have suggestions? Does this sound like it would taste good? I have never made Chai before so I'm not sure what is good and what is not.

Chai Tea Mix

1 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1/4 cup black tea leaves
12 cardamom pods
4 2 inch pieces of cinnamon stick
2 tsp dried lemon peel

Divide all ingredients, layering equally between two 6 ounce jars.

GIFT TAG DIRECTIONS:

To serve, place contents of one jar in a large saucepan with 4 cups of water. Bring to boiling. Remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Strain through a wire strainer lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Add honey to taste.
 
Sounds good. You could also add dried ginger if available to make it a healthier drink. For the gift tag instructions, it's better to say use half of the mixture and add 2 cups of boiling water to it as 4 cups seem a lot for one or two persons plus the fact that tea is supposed to be served steeped in hot water rather than boiling it together with water to enjoy the full flavour and aroma. The content can then be used again.
 
Have you read the Wikipedia article on chai and the link at the bottom "What is chai?"?

I'd never heard of it until reading this and mostly I was curious what was meant by 'chai' since it's so similar to the Greek word for tea which is pronounced 'tsai'.

It sounds very much like Constant Comment tea which I gather still exists over there in the States. It's a favorite from when I was a kid although I haven't had it in years. Could be made up, I'm sure -- it appears to be (like your 'chai') a mixture of black tea, spices, and orange rind. I remember drinking it just with sugar, but I'm sure the "nursery" version with sugar and milk is probably pretty delish too.

Your mixture sounds good, although I wonder about the milk having been added in already in the form of powdered non-fat (just because usually tea is steeped first and then cold milk is added in, partially to cool it). However, if ready chai mixtures are a normal part of your market and that's how they come -- go for it! I'm sure she'll appreciate your thoughtfulness.
 
Hi Angie,
The recipe you have is a good one, but chai is Indian in origin, and therefore quite spicey. I have found that using mixed spice and cardomom makes a good tea. I make it with either black tea, or our rooibos tea, which is yummo. The Indians do "cook" the tea in the milk, so the instructions for making it are correct.
Cloves, cinnamon and cardamom are the main flavour ingredients :)

Hope that helps
Kim
 
kimashswan said:
...The Indians do "cook" the tea in the milk, so the instructions for making it are correct ...

So I see, re-reading the article. Mea culpa -- sloppy me!:blush:
 
Will someone please clarify the difference between Chai Tea and Thai Iced Tea? I've been ingnorantly thinking they were interchangeable. Is one a hot beverage and the latter a cold beverage? They both contain spices, albeit slightly different.

Also, where can one buy all these ingredients, particularly tea leaves? Are they sold at some expensive, specialty tea shops? I haven't seen whole tea leaves at the grocery store.

Thanks!
 
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