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TEA TIME: INDIAN MASALA CHAI
By Gia Coelho

March 12, 2014 in Discover Taste

The elixir of good health, Indian masala chai is bursting
with antioxidants and anti-inflammatories and is
served with a generous portion of creamy milk and golden
sugar. The word chai means “tea” and is so much more than
a hot beverage – it is a way of life. It is an integral part of
the social fabric of Indian society and is an important part
of family tradition, friendship and bonding, hospitality, and
even the forging of business relationships. When visiting
India or an Indian home or business, remember that tea
is offered to all guests as a welcoming gesture and it is
considered rude to decline. In India, tea is usually brewed
with fresh ginger root, milk, and sugar and is served in small,
clear glass cups, brass cups, and most often, ceramic or
earthenware cups that are earth-friendly.

Black tea is the most popular and is sold by weight and
packaged to order in specialty stores called tea depots. Tea
depots store a variety of tea leaves, granules, and powder in
huge wooden boxes that are kept tightly sealed to preserve
flavor and fragrance. According to the tenets of tea grading,
whole leaf black teas are called orange pekoe. Crushed
teas, used primarily in tea bags, contain broken leaves that
are called broken orange pekoe or BOP. The tiny fragments
that are left over after the tea has been processed are called
fannings and the leftover powder is called dust. Assam,
Darjeeling and Nilgiri are some of the most expensive whole
leaf teas that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent
and are very light when brewed. CTC, which is short for
“crushed, torn, and curled,” is a method of processing tea
that yields small granules that are used in various blends. Tea
depots also offer special blends like Family Mixture or Amrut
(nectar) Mixture that are a blend of orange pekoe, broken
orange pekoe, and dust that results in a strong infusion that
is much darker than whole leaf brews.
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