You’ve seen it at your local café and supermarket, and you’ve seen it on your Instagram feed, but what exactly is chai and where does it come from?
Sit back and relax, as we discuss all you need to know about the interesting world of chai (and why we really need to stop referring to it as “chai tea”).
What is chai?
Chai, or Masala Chai, is a traditional drink from India made by boiling black tea with milk, water, and a blend of spices. It’s sweet, creamy, and spiced, offering a warm and aromatic experience. The word "chai" means tea, so saying "chai tea" is repetitive.
Even if you’ve never tasted chai, chances are high that you’ve heard of it. Tea is, after all, the second most-consumed drink on earth, right behind water. At least, that’s what The National Geographic says.
See more: What Does Chai Tea Taste Like? A Flavor Guide for First-Time Drinkers
Key ingredients of chai:
Chai is made with a few main components:
- Black Tea: Often Assam tea, known for its bold and rich flavor.
- Spices: Common ones include ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and black pepper.
- Milk and Sweetener: Traditionally whole milk and sugar, but plant-based milk and natural sweeteners are popular today.
These above-mentioned (oh-so-yummy) ingredients were traditionally used to make the perfect cup of chai. They still can be, if you have the time. See more easier at our chai ingredients infographic.
If you're on the go, there’s always the very modern tea bags, powders, and concentrates to choose from. Our personal favorite is loose-leaf sticky chai, for a more authentic flavor that you can't get enough of.
Food pairing with chai
Here are some of the best food pairings that truly complement chai's unique taste. Wherever you look for which tasty dishes to pair with chai, regardless as it is breakfast, dinner or snacks, take our suggestion to your consideration!
The origins of chai
According to Epicurious, Masala chai or chai (which means “tea” in many languages) originated from India, however, the tea and origin of the name chai comes from cha which is the Mandarin Chinese word for tea.
Some believe that the beloved aromatic drink dates back as far as 9 000 years ago with roots in Traditional medicine, combining various techniques including Vedic and Muslim medicine. Back then, chai looked a little different than today. No tea leaves were involved.
Wait, what?
Yep, the te’/tea/cha industry only arrived in India around 1835, when the East India Company began ‘domesticating’ tea farms in Assam. The aim was to break China’s monopoly on tea by cultivating and exporting it from India. However, the first Indian teas were bitter, and tea drinking wasn’t yet popular among locals. To make the drink more appealing, Indian tea vendors, or chaiwallahs, began adding local spices, milk, and sugar.
By the 1960s, black tea became more affordable, and chai gained widespread popularity across South Asia. Today, it’s enjoyed globally, from street-side chai vendors (chaiwallahs) in India to modern cafés worldwide.
For a deeper dive, explore our brief history of Chai.
The modern chai and variations
Today, chai lovers can enjoy everything from a chai latte and a hot chai cocktail to a dirty chai.
How does a chai latte taste, how do you make a hot chai cocktail and what on earth is dirty chai? Don’t worry, we wanted to know too, and the results are fascinating.
Masala chai
While we’re on the topic of different chai teas, you’ve also probably heard the term “Masala chai”.
What is Masala chai and how is it different from chai?
Believe it or not, but Masala chai and chai are typically the same thing. Chai in our Occidental daily context has evolved to mean spiced tea. Yup. “Masala” means a combination of spices in Hindi. And, as you know by now, the word “chai” means tea.
Chai latte
You’re standing in line on your coffee (or in this case tea) run. You read the menu, but confusion sets in: what is the difference between chai tea and chai latte?
While chai (usually) consists of hot milk, leaf-style tea, and spices, a chai latte has become commercially synonymous with powder or syrup that tastes like chai vaguely. Although delicious, a chai latte is way sweeter than the original product. Let’s just say you might not want turn to a chai latte in powder or concentrate if you’re looking to lean down.
Explore more: Matcha Chai Latte (Iced/Hot Recipe)
Sticky chai
It’s time to get your hands dirty. But what is sticky chai?
Sticky chai mixes traditional chai ingredients with a sweetener like honey or agave to create a sticky, flavorful blend. It’s convenient to use and enhances the depth of chai’s signature taste
Dirty chai
Now that we’re done with the sticky, what is dirty chai?
Do you love chai but miss your coffee fix? Oh, wait until you hear about the dirty chai! Dirty chai is a chai made with a shot of espresso.
Think of it as the perfect chai latte coffee combo.
Rumor has it that this delicious drink was invented by accident. Apparently, a barista in London was serving a client who ordered a chai. The barista accidentally added a shot of espresso, but the client tried it anyway. Long story short, the dirty chai was (and still is) a hit.
Hot chai cocktail
Hmmm, now things are getting exciting (or should we say chai-citing?). Add a dash of liqueur to your favorite chai recipe to create a hot chai cocktail.
If chai cocktails sound like something you would like to try, you may find Monk's Chai spiced gin negroni for useful.
Where to buy quality chai
So much chai, so little time! If you’re going to make chai at home, buy quality chai that you can trust.
Monk's Chai is a good place to start. Our chai is organic, plant-based, and hand-made in Australia. You can look forward to bursts of flavors like deep caramel, malty layered vanilla notes. It's the perfect tasting chai: something spicy and invigorating, rich in organic specialty grade aromatics that's been blended with the highest quality teas.
As for the spices, you can’t go wrong with pure Ceylon cinnamon. This is blended with the warmth of crushed ginger and cardamom tempered by star anise, nutmeg, and the hum of black peppercorns, cayenne, clove, and pimento.
How did we manage to incorporate all these lovely flavors, you might ask? We search the world for the best specialty grade organic spice and tea suppliers.
We strive to give our customers that perfect tasting cup by bringing together the very best of what the seasons have to offer.
It’s a cuppa chai you won’t (want to) forget.
See more: The differences between Chai & Tea