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Our journey today takes us to India to sample one of the varieties of Indian chai, Ginger Chai Milk Tea. It is a hot, spicy, velvety black tea, ideal for warming up and relaxing. Made with fresh ginger and spices such as green cardamom.
The Indian Ginger Tea
In India, there are many teas and blends, including Masala Chai and its variations, which can be easily prepared at home. Today I am going to take you on a journey of discovery with Adrak Chai or Adrak Wali Chai. “Adrak” means ginger, and ‘chai’ means tea, in fact it’s black ginger tea with milk and spices. It is perfect for warming up, but not only, because it also has certain properties such as digestive, and in winter it helps to prevent and even cure colds and coughs.
Ginger chai is drunk everywhere, on the streets, in tea-rooms, restaurants, at breakfast. It is usually drunk during the rainy season and in winter because of its decongestant properties.
Cow’s milk is typically used to make this milk ginger infusion, but you can use plant-based milk if you are intolerant or want a vegetarian/vegan version. You can choose from soya, oat, almond or cashew milk — many recommend the latter, but use whatever you like best.
Ginger Chai is made with fresh ginger root and various spices. Green cardamom is certainly the most common, but you can also add black pepper, fennel seeds, cinnamon powder, nutmeg, cloves, mint and tulsi (holy basil) leaves. You can use any or a mixture of these spices. In some cases, a small amount of powdered ginger is added, but this is optional and can be omitted if you don’t want the tea to be too pungent.
There is no standard recipe, in India you can drink the same ginger Chai in different places and not find one with the same taste. Each family has its own recipe with its own type of blend and quantity of spices. So feel free to make your own blend with the spices and quantities you prefer.
Indian chai uses black tea, which can be powdered or in leaves.
How to Make Ginger Tea
Ginger chai tea, it’s really quick and easy to make. Put a saucepan of water on the heat, add freshly grated ginger or crushed with a pestle and the black tea, bring to the boil and simmer over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes.
Add the milk and bring to the boil over a medium heat, when it starts to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat completely and add the ginger powder, black pepper, cardamom crushed in a mortar and sugar. Stir well and then turn off the heat and cover with a lid for 4–5 minutes.
Take the Indian milk tea and strain it through a fine-mesh strainer and serve in a cup.
Tips and How to Storage Ginger Chai
If you are using vegetable milk, heat it separately, without bringing it to the boil, and stir in at the end. The amount of ginger and spices, including powdered ginger, is to taste; the mixture in this recipe makes a rather pungent and strong ginger milk tea. If this is too much for you, reduce the amount of ginger, or use it as a base and dilute with more hot milk. Adrak Chai will keep in the fridge for 3–5 days, just stir and heat as required.
Other delicacies of Indian cuisine:
Kulfi
Ginger Chai Milk Tea – Indian Adrak Chai
Attrezzature
- Grater
- Saucepan
- Strainer for tea
Ingredienti
- 360 ml Water
- 180 ml Milk
- 1 Tbsp of Black Tea
- 7- 10 g Ginger
- 1 Tbsp Caster Sugar
- ¼ – ½ tsp Cardamom
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
Optional
- ¼ – ½ tsp Ginger powder
Preparazione
- Put 360 ml Water in a saucepan and start heating it. Add 7- 10 g Ginger (grated) and 1 Tbsp of Black Tea. Bring to the boil and boil for 2–3 minutes.
- Pour in 180 ml Milk and bring to the boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and allow to boil.
- Turn the heat down completely and add 1 Tbsp Caster Sugar, ¼ – ½ tsp Ginger (if desired), ¼ – ½ tsp Cardamom and ¼ tsp Black Pepper.
- Stir for one minute, switch off and cover the saucepan with a lid, and let it rest for 4–5 minutes.
- Strain the tea and serve it nice and hot, if it is left over you can keep it in the fridge for 3-4 days, just heat it over a low heat.
Note
- Fennel seeds
- Cinnamon powder
- Ground nutmeg
- Cloves
- Mint
- Tulsi leaves (holy basil)
You can also use plant-based milks such as soy, oat, almond or cashew. In this case, heat the milk separately and mix it in at the end of the preparation.
Nutrienti
Le informazioni nutrizionali sono una stima fornita da un calcolatore nutrizionale online. Non devono essere considerate un sostituto del consiglio di un nutrizionista professionista.