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vanilla chai
light floral notes mingle with masala spices highlighting a superb balance of tea and spice. milk and a dash of sugar create a taste extravaganza.
origin
india and kenya
infusion
bright and coppery with golden highlights.
ingredients
black tea
red rose petals
chopped and powdered ginger
chopped and powdered cardamom
chopped and powdered coriander
chopped and powdered cinnamon
chopped cloves
chopped black pepper
cost
8oz tin - 15.00 cnd
16oz tin - 27.00 cnd
information
chai is such an integral part of indian culture that it is virtually impossible to avoid when traveling through any part of the indian sub-continent. even when fresh cold drinking water cannot be found, you will inevitably encounter a chai-wallah, or chai seller, yelling out, “chayee! chayee!”
while riding the rails in india, the call of the chai wallah can be heard at every stop proffering their delicious hot drink. it is not uncommon for a chai-wallah to board a train in the middle of the night and wake up passengers to sell chai. the chai arrives in small clay cups that customers throw from the train windows when finished!
indian chai is typically made using a rich black tea, usually an assam, and brewing it in heavy milk with cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and pepper. the drink produces a warm soothing effect and engenders a wonderfully calming effect on the body. this tea has taken the soothing aspect of this blend one step further by adding a dash of vanilla. this addition of vanilla adds a hint of creaminess to this tea – a fantastic addition. brew this tea piping hot and add some sugar to help open up the exotic flavor of the spicy blend that makes up this tea. just try and stop yourself after one cup!
important: turn your tin of chai upside down a few times. the reason is that during transit the powdered spices can settle at the bottom of the tin.
hot brewing method
bring freshly drawn cold water to a rolling boil. place 1 heaping teaspoon of tea for each cup into the teapot. pour the boiling water into the teapot. cover and let steep for 5-10 minutes (for true ‘chayee chayee’ steep at least 7 minutes). while the tea is brewing prepare your cup to receive the chai – put 2 teaspoons of sugar in the cup and add milk (about 20%) of the cup’s volume. when the chai is ready – pour into your cup.
ice brewing method
to make 1 liter, place 6 teaspoons of tea into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. steep for 5 minutes. quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the leaves. add ice, milk and top-up the pitcher with cold water. garnish and sweeten to taste. (a rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to double the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water).
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