Masala Chai (Spiced Tea)

Masala chai or spiced tea is a favourite in my home. It is a comforting drink and goes amazingly well with hot samosas and mixed bhuja snacks. A great combo to serve to visitors as well.

Credit Wix

Fiji has warm to hot days with high humidity throughout the year. This generally means steaming hot afternoons, when you just want to sit in the shade of a tree and enjoy the cool breeze. However, the heat did not ever deter us from enjoying steaming hot tea in the afternoons after school. It was almost a tradition to sit outside and enjoy a cup with our family, while chatting, gardening or playing.

Back when I was growing up, in Fiji, there was a time when we did not have TV and internet did not exist. Those days were the best, when everyone really connected over cups of tea and snacks in the afternoons and weekends. The distraction from technology just did not exist! The human connection was probably at its most authentic, real and cherished at the time!

Back then, mostly tea was made using Bushells tea leave boiled in water, with some powdered full cream milk and sugar. Occasionally, we would make ginger tea, where some crushed ginger was added and boiled together with tea leaves to give a lovely spicy taste to the brew.

To make masala chai we take ginger tea a step further by adding spices. We thoroughly enjoyed our masala chai experience while visiting India. It felt like masala chai was universal in India. Everyone understood the language of tea in India. It meant welcome, a greeting, like a handshake to create that special bond and make you feel cherished.

The humble chai can do wonders for the soul. Soothing a sore throat, or filling the lonely days with beautiful memories of trips aboard and family and friends who are no longer part of our daily lives but far away abroad.

Here is my favourite version and I hope you enjoy it too.

Ingredients:

4 cups water

1 cup liquid full cream milk

4 strong black tea teabags

4 black whole cloves

4 green cardamoms

1 stick cinnamon

2cm fresh ginger, crushed

Method:

In a small pot, add all the ingredients at once and bring to boil.

At this point, take the lid off the pot so that it does not bubble over and reduce heat.

Let the tea simmer for approximately 5 minutes. Turn off heat.

Strain into cups. Add sugar if desired and enjoy with your favourite snack!