Tea is a constant companion for every Indian, especially Malayalis — from the moment one wakes up, to the breaks that make work hours bearable, to the late evenings when one sits down to unwind.
Though we need no particular reason to drink this magical beverage, a day to celebrate the bewitching brew is always welcome. As per the UN calendar, the world marks International Tea Day on May 21. But now comes another one — Chai Day, on September 21.
This one, apparently, is an American homage to our very own masala chai specifically. No one has been able to pinpoint its exact origin in the subcontinent. What is known is that the cultivation of tea leaves began in ancient China. There was even an ancient Tea Horse Road linking India and China, via Tibet, for trading tea.
With colonialism, tea gained a new reputation. India, now the second-largest producer of tea, began cultivating it in the 1840s in the hills of Assam, Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The legacy of British rule made tea widely popular in Kerala, embedding it deeply in daily life. Even today, many ask “chaya kazhicho?” (have you had tea?) as a way of enquiring whether one has had breakfast.
Tea, at the end of the day, is more than a drink — it is an emotion for Malayalis. Popular culture captures it perfectly in the reference: “mazha, kattan chaya, and Johnson Masterude pattu” (rain, black tea and the songs of Johnson Master).
In the culinary world, too, chai has always been versatile. In recent years it has reached new heights of popularity, with bubble tea, taro tea, matcha tea and more sharing space with our humble cutting chai.
So, this Chai Day, TNIE revisits the special recipes where masala chai truly shines.
Spiced Chai Martini
Ingredients
Vodka: 2 oz
Chai concentrate: 1 oz
Lemon juice: ½ oz
Ground cinnamon: A dash
Ice cubes: As needed
Chai concentrate
Black tea: 5 tsps
Water: 5 cups
Ginger: 2-3 inches
Sugar: 5 tsps
Star anise: 1
Cinnamon: 2 sticks
Clove: 4
Cardamom: 10 pods
Fennel seeds: 1 tsp
Black pepper: ½ tsp
For the rim
Ground cinnamon: ¼ tsp
Sugar: 2 tsp
Method: Chai concentrate: Lightly crush star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, fennel seeds and black pepper together. Take the spices and ginger in a saucepan. Boil it with 5 cups of water. Let it simmer for five minutes. Add sugar and tea powder. Let it steep for 5 minutes and turn off the heat. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Strain the tea concentrate. Cool it completely before storing.
Cocktail: Mix cinnamon and sugar on a plate. Rub the rim of the chilled glass with lime and roll it in the cinnamon sugar. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Add vodka, chai tea concentrate, fresh lemon juice, and a dash of ground cinnamon. Shake well for 30 seconds. Pour the mixture into the glass.
Apple Masala Chai Cake
Ingredients
Unsalted butter: 3/4 cup
Darjeeling tea leaves:
2 tbsp, finely ground
All-purposeflour: 2 cups
Baking powder: 2 tsp
Baking soda:1/4 tsp
Chai masala spice mix:
1 1/2 tsp
Sea salt: 1/4 tsp
Apples: 2
Brown sugar: 1 cup packed
Eggs: 4 large
Icing sugar for dusting
Chai masala mix:
Seeds of 10 green cardamom pods, 1 black cardamom pod
6 black peppercorns
4 Whole cloves
One 1-inch piece Cinnamon stick
1 Tbsp Ground ginger
Method: Grease a round cake tin and line its base with parchment paper. Preheat oven to about 175 degrees Celsius. In a bowl, sift together ground tea leaves, flour, baking powder, baking soda, chai masala and salt. Coat the diced apples with this dry mix. Cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Incorporate the dry mix until no more streaks of flour are visible. Fold in the apples. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and level the top. Bake for 55-60 minutes. Let it cool. Dust with icing sugar.
Chai cheese cake
Ingredients
Water: 1.5 cups
Tea leaves: 4 tbsp
Chai masala: 1 tbsp
Parle-G biscuits: 40
Salted butter: 6 tbsp (melted)
Cream cheese: 8 oz
Powdered sugar: ½ cup
Heavy whipping cream: 1 cup
Method
Boil water, tea, and masala in a pot. Steep it for 2 minutes. Strain. It should measure about ¾ cup. Break Parle G biscuits. Add them to a blender to a coarse consistency. Transfer to bowl. Add melted butter, mix well and keep aside. In a bowl, take softened cream cheese. Beat it until smooth. Add powdered sugar and mix well. Keep it aside. In another bowl, add chilled heavy cream and beat well. Add the cream cheese mixture to it, then gradually add the strained chai. Add a generous layer of biscuit mixture to jars. Using a flat-bottom glass, press it down firmly. Reserve some for garnish. Then fill ¾ of glass with the cream cheese batter. Cover with cling wrap. Keep it in fridge overnight. Garnish with biscuit crumbs before serving.
Chai Custard
Ingredients
Milk: 1/2 cup
Whipping cream: 1/2 cup
Tea powder: 1 tbsp
Masala chai powder: 1 tsp
Fresh Ginger: 1 tbsp
Brown sugar: 1/4 cup
Cornflour: 2 tbsp
Egg: 1 whole
Egg yolk : 1
Vanilla : 1 tsp
Garnish:
Whipped cream
Parle G Biscuits
Star anise
Method
In a pot, add milk, cream, tea powders, ginger and a tablespoon of brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat. Simmer for 10 minutes to brew. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, cornflour, vanilla and the remaining brown sugar until the mixture is smooth. Slowly pour the hot tea mix into the egg mixture, and keep whisking until all the chai mixture has been added to the egg mixture. Heat this custard mixture on low heat in a pot. Stirring constantly, cook the mixture until it thickens. The mixture should be thick enough. Pour the custard through a strainer. Fill ¾ of the glasses with the mix and leave them in the fridge to set for 2 hours. Serve with whipped cream and biscuits.
Thai Tea Panna Cotta
Ingredients
Unsweetened oat milk:
1 1/2 cups
Thai tea leaves*: 1 tbsp
Pure maple syrup: 1 tbsp
Agar agar powder*:
1 tsp
Vanilla bean paste: 1 tsp
Pinch of salt
Method: In a small pot over low heat, bring the milk and tea leaves to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes. Then, remove the pan from the heat and let it steep for 30 minutes. Strain out the leaves. Bring the tea to a light simmer over medium-low heat, then add the maple syrup, agar agar powder, vanilla bean paste, and salt. Cook, whisking continuously, for 3 minutes to activate the agar. Divide the mixture between two 6-oz. ramekins and chill for 3 hours or overnight. To serve, gently invert the panna cotta onto a small plate or enjoy it straight from the ramekin.
Spiced chai scones
Ingredients
Scones:
All-purpose flour: 250g
Baking powder: 1/4 tsp
Salt: 1/4 tsp
Unsalted butter: 75g (melted)
Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
White caster sugar: 25g
Chai spice: 2 tsp ( 1/4 tsp of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and a pinch of clove)
Saffron: A pinch
Tea leaves: 2 tsp
Yoghurt: 2 tbsp
Milk: 100ml
Egg-wash
Milk: 1/2 tbsp
Butter: 1 tsp
Maple syrup: 1 tsp
Method
Melt the butter. Keep it in the fridge for 10-15 mins. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius. Boil the milk, add tea to it, along with vanilla and spices. Steep for 10 mins. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add butter to it and mix it till you get a breadcrumb texture. Filter the tea and add it to the mix with yoghurt. Mix until everything comes together. Roll the dough into 2cm thick sheets. Cut out your scones with a 2.5-inch round cutter. Mix the egg wash ingredients together and microwave for 10 seconds to melt the butter and loosen the syrup. Brush on top of each scone. Bake on a lined baking sheet on the middle rack for around 12 minutes. Serve with jam.
Classic Masala Chai
Ingredients
Water: 2 cups
Tea: 2 tsp
Green cardamom pods: 2
Clove: 1
Ginger: 1 inch
(chopped into slices)
Black peppercorn: ¼ tsp (freshly cracked)
Cinnamon stick: ½
Milk: 1 cup
Sugar: 2 tsp or to taste
Method
Add spices to a mortar and crush them lightly. Pour water into a saucepan on high heat, and add the spices. Bring the water to a boil and add the tea leaves. Lower the heat to a medium to low setting and simmer for two minutes or till the tea is strong enough. Then, add the milk and let it boil, bubbling to the top. Remove the pot from the heat. Pour it and drink.