{"id":2310,"date":"2015-10-07T19:03:33","date_gmt":"2015-10-07T19:03:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/?p=2310"},"modified":"2017-09-15T16:23:34","modified_gmt":"2017-09-15T20:23:34","slug":"tea-spotlight-chai-teas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/tea-spotlight-chai-teas\/","title":{"rendered":"Tea Spotlight: Chai Teas"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\"><b>Reading Time:<\/b> <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 2<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><p>India is famous for its black teas, which start from the Camellia Sinensis Assamica plant \u2013 a tea bush perfectly suited to the tropical climate and heavy rainfall of the Indian jungle. From <u>fresh Darjeelings<\/u> to <u>malty Assams<\/u>, the country produces a wide range of world-class teas. But despite boasting some of the finest pure black teas on the planet, one of India\u2019s most well-known contributions to the North American tea world is a blend \u2013 masala chai.<\/p>\n<h2>What is masala chai?<\/h2>\n<p>In most parts of the world, the word \u201cchai\u201d simply means tea. But when people in North America (including us) use the word \u201cchai,\u201d we\u2019re actually talking about masala chai (aka \u201cspiced tea\u201d). So what makes this spicy drink so comforting? It\u2019s traditionally made with rich black tea, milk, sugar and, of course, tons of spices that not only invigorate the senses, but are packed with benefits. Here are five of the most popular feel-good spices used in chai.<\/p>\n<h3><em>Ginger<\/em><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Bright, peppery and warming, this popular wonder root never fails to up the cozy factor of a classic masala chai. Plus it\u2019s been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries to ward off cold weather and settle upset tummies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><em>Green cardamom<\/em><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>These exotic little pods are loved for their soothing flavours and aromas \u2013 from sweet, spicy and citrusy to floral and peppery, with hints of eucalyptus. What\u2019s more, they\u2019ve been hailed as a natural breath freshener and digestive aid \u2013 perfect after a heavy meal!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><em>Black Pepper<\/em><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Bring on the heat! Pepper\u2019s sharp and spicy flavour is what makes rich, creamy chais extra warming during the fall and winter seasons. Plus it provides a lively zip and subtle pop of heat that never fail to get our taste buds tingling.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><em>Cinnamon<\/em><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>This super spice is the epitome of comfort thanks to its delicate sweetness and warmth. Bonus: it\u2019s also said to have natural skin-brightening and focus-enhancing powers. If that isn\u2019t super, we don\u2019t know what is.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><em>Cloves<\/em><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Cloves are like powerful little flavour bombs. They\u2019re strong, sweet and slightly bitter, so when it comes to brewing the perfect cup of chai, a little goes a long way. Plus they\u2019re known for their amazing soothing properties. No wonder we feel so relaxed after a cup!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/044-TeaChai_pinterest.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2314 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/044-TeaChai_pinterest-684x1024.jpg\" alt=\"DAVIDsTEA Steep Thoughts - Tea Spotlight: Chai Teas\" width=\"684\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/044-TeaChai_pinterest-684x1024.jpg 684w, https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/044-TeaChai_pinterest-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/044-TeaChai_pinterest.jpg 736w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 684px) 100vw, 684px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Chai is a family tradition<\/h2>\n<p>You can find masala chai virtually everywhere in India and Pakistan. Many families have their own signature recipes, with ingredients varying from region to region, household to household. Masala chai recipes are so prized that families cherish them as a source of pride, passing them down through the generations as closely guarded secrets. Kind of like your grandma\u2019s secret cookie recipe\u2026 which you still haven\u2019t shared with us.<\/p>\n<h2>DIY masala chai recipe<\/h2>\n<p>Ready to whip up a mug of deliciously creamy chai? Here\u2019s a quick and easy guide on how to make your own masala chai at home.<\/p>\n<h2>Our favourite chai teas<\/h2>\n<p>Don\u2019t have the patience to make your own? Our <u>chai teas<\/u> are a quick and easy way to get your fix. Just steep, then top with frothed milk and a cozy dash of cinnamon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\"><b>Reading Time:<\/b> <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 2<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>One of India\u2019s most well known contributions among North American tea lovers is masala chai.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2313,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[289,290,58],"class_list":["post-2310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","tag-chai","tag-india","tag-tea"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2310","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2310"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2310\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5960,"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2310\/revisions\/5960"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2313"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2310"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2310"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2310"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}