“If you are cold, tea will warm you; if you are too heated, it will cool you; If you are depressed, it will cheer you; If you are excited, it will calm you.”
― William Ewart Gladstone
In India, chai is more than just a cup of tea. It is an everyday ritual in many households to start the day. All conversations happen over a cup of tea. One of the oldest drinks in history, chai is also India’s most popular drink – the country consumes a massive 837,000 tonnes of tea every year!
Let’s know a little more about India’s favorite beverage!
The name “chai” is the Hindi word for “tea,” which was derived from “cha,” the Chinese word for “tea”.
Tea was first discovered in China dating back more than 5,000 years ago. However, it was used initially for its medicinal properties where fresh leaves were chewed for their refreshing and stimulating effects.
An overview of the Indian tea
Tea was brought to India, centuries ago through the ‘silk route’ via caravans that traveled to Europe from China. The tea plant is in fact native to India, but its use was not recognized until the British attempted to cultivate plants from China.
The recipe for chai varies across India, cultures, towns, and families. But the most common way to make ‘Masala chai’ is used making black tea mixed with strong spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and ginger. This is mixed with milk and sweetened with sugar or honey.
It is customary for an Indian to offer a cup of Tea to all those who visit their home. And, if you’re not sipping chai at someone’s home, you can sip it on a street corner. Throughout India, chai wallahs sell glasses of chai in crowded railway platforms, shopping bazaars, and every nook and corner of the country.
Indian soil is perfect for tea cultivation, and the three main Indian tea regions are the hills of Assam, Darjeeling, and Nilgiris with each region providing a different taste.
Today, India remains one of the largest producers of tea in the world.
Pem's Nanaka is happy to introduce our own range of organic, homemade chai masalas! Add a little extra zing to your cup of tea.
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