The Perfect Chai

Okay after reading Three Cups of Tea last year I took on the "super-part time" quest of finding the perfect Chai Tea recipie, not that store bought premixed stuff. Although, if you are going for a quick instant cuppa I hear Oregon Chai is "pretty good", but I like mine better. So let's talk ingredents. For starters I found it hard to get a good high quality supplier for "rancid Yak butter" in the states. If you have read the book you'll know what I'm refering to. If not, please buy it and give it a read.

Some kind of import restriction I guess. Must be up there with the FDA restrictions on other exotic ingredients like Shark Fin Soup and Baboon Kidney Chutney. From the descriptions in the book and other such research I found the variety of spices can vary from villiage to villiage and valley to valley depending on availability. (That was a lot of v's.) But the basics remain the same. Equal parts water and milk boiled with the sugar and a spice mixture then removed from heat.

The tea, usually a variety of loose black or green tea, is added and steeps while the pot cools a bit. Most of the actual ingredents and steps are to taste and, again, depends on availability. On we go...

I found a local tea shop in Snohomish where I purchase the tea. I buy the cheapest loose leaf black tea mainly because I'm cheap and I also you add a lot of milk, sugar and spices. I also use a basic Mirik Valley black I found here in town. Specialteas.com sells some really great tea but you're gunna pay for it.

Spices. I have played with a large variety. Here they are: cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, coriander, black and white pepper, mace, cloves and dried vanilla bean.

I started with the basic Cardomom, cinnamon, and pepper and then played with it to add and vary the spices. I never had a cup that was bad but as I tweaked the mixture I discovered a wide vaiety of flavors. Here is where I am:

2T cardamom, 2T cinnamon, 1 T nutmeg/ginger/allspice/coriander/cloves, 1t blk. pepper/mace, 1/2t white pepper. Mix until blended evenly. Combine 3T of the spice mixture to 1C sugar (White, Raw, whatever.). This gives you the base.

Now the milk and water. Whole milk is the best giving the finished product a creamer consistancy but 2% seems to appeal to most. Depending on how much you want to make, mix equal parts milk and water and heat to just about a boil. I usually do 2C water and 2C milk. I add the sugar/spice mixture at a ratio of 3T per 1 cup of liquid early and stir almost continually to prevent burning. Make more than you need and cool the rest for later consuption, it's good chilled or added to coffee as a creamer. Back to the brewing..........once hot (steaming well) toss in the tea per brewing suggestions, usually 2t per 8oz liquid. Steep up to 5 mins and strain to serve. I have found using the ground spices tends to develop a sludge at the bottom of the cup if you don't strain with a fine metal mesh coffee filter, the gold coated kind, you will have a goo at the bottom of your cup. I strongly suggest using the filter. Enjoy.

Tony