4 Facts You Didn't Know About Chai

Did you now that chai was first born in India 5000 years ago?! It’s become so ingrained in India’s culture that it has become the country’s unofficial national drink.

 

📷 Harsh Pandey via Unsplash

 

Chai flavour profiles have always been somewhat unique from household to household and vendor to vendor, even from village to village, and as it has made its way around the world, the flavours changed even more depending on taste preferences and available resources.

 

Let’s take a look at some chai-facts you may not have known:

 

YOU’RE SAYING IT WRONG

 

It’s okay, most people do. It seems that only relatively recently, since the emergence of the chai ‘latte’ around the 1990’s, that confusion began to set in. The word ‘chai’ itself is Hindi for tea, so when you call it ‘chai tea’ you’re actually calling it ‘tea tea’ in two different languages.

 

 

When ‘latte’ was added to the name, many people (outside of Italy, at least) became even more confused – is it tea or is it coffee? – because the general association with the word ‘latte’ is coffee, when it is actually the Italian word for milk.

 

 

So, the next time you’re ordering at a café, just ‘chai’ or ‘chai latte’ will do.

 

 

THERE’S NO ONE ‘RECIPE’ FOR CHAI

 

This is one you may have subliminally noticed from the number of brands of chai out there. Everyone does it a little differently, and it’s not a new concept. We mentioned earlier that there are no two recipes exactly the same and it really all comes down to preferences, which are usually influenced by the available resources and taste.

 

📷 VD Photography via Unsplash

 

In India and across the East, flavours depended on local spice palates. For example, in some regions chilli powder is added to the mix, some brew the tea for longer, some prefer to use sweet condensed milk instead of cows milk, and so on.

 

 

CHAI WAS ORIGINALLY MADE WITHOUT TEA LEAVES

Although ‘chai’ translates to ‘tea’ it was initially an infusion of herbs and spices, like a tisane, and was consumed daily.  

 

📷 Julia Topp via Unsplash

 

Tea plants were already growing wild in India, but the brew made from their diced leaves was viewed as a medicinal drink rather than a recreational beverage. When the British colonized India in the 19th century and established their tea plantations in Assam, black tea began to be incorporated into the chai recipe. The British also introduced sugar and milk to the recipe, which was a standard addition to their usual cup of tea.

 

📷 Melissa in a tea plantation

 

When India finally gained independence again in 1947, the additions had become so commonplace that the locals continued to drink the sweetened, spiced tea (aka Masala Chai - the version Bondi Chai is based on) and it became the unofficial ‘national drink’.

 

 

CHAI SPICE IS COMMONLY ADDED TO BAKING

Although the ‘recipe’ for chai varies from household to household, there is a typical mixture of spices that form the core foundation. Spices such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger and cardamom are considered to be ‘warming spices’ and if you’ve ever baked with them, you’ll know that they add amazing flavour to just about anything.

 

📷 Molly Simone via Unsplash

 

Any bakery you visit will have added spices to at least some of their offerings, such as cinnamon rolls, muffins, fruit-based pastries and even breads. You can check out some of the recipes including chai spice on Bondi Chai’s website here.

 

 

Do you know any other fascinating facts about chai that aren't widely known? We'd love to hear about them in the comments below!

 

 

**Source: https://www.tastingtable.com/1235419/facts-you-need-to-know-about-chai/