Masala tea is a hot drink with milk and spices. It was invented in India, but over time he conquered the whole world. In Europe, it is customary to brew an elite variety of tea. But in the homeland, masalu is made from the simplest and most affordable ingredients. This is truly a folk drink, the recipes of which are many. We bring to your attention the best of them. But first, a little digression into history.
History of occurrence
There is still debate about where Masala tea originated. India is just one option. Some researchers confidently point to Thailand. Learned about this drink more than 3000 BC. It was widely adopted in 1835. At this time, the British opened their first tea plantations in Asaam. They used the services of slaves and tried their best to increase their efficiency. Then they began to give workers masala tea. A few years later, an invigorating drink was actively sold in local cafes and restaurants. However, tea is expensive. To reduce the cost, cunning merchants began to dilute it with spices. As a result, he gained popularity first in India, and then around the world. In the second half of the 20th century, the drink became publicly available and very common. The Indians made it a part of national culture. They call him a descendant of karchi - an ancient drink that instills strength and vitality in a person. You can learn about what masala tea tastes like, how to brew this unusual treat, from our article.
Interesting Facts
Did you know that picking tea leaves is hard manual labor? They are carefully collected from each bush. And only those that grow at the very top are considered elite raw materials. An Indian worker is required to collect thirty kilograms of tea in one day. For this hellish work, he receives only a couple of dollars a day.
In the market you can find a huge number of teas. In India, fruit, flower, black, green, soothing, white are sold ... It’s impossible to list everything. The universally recognized favorite is Darjeeling. However, the most famous is spiced masala tea. It is found in the menu of any cafe or restaurant, they are treated to it in Indian families, it is incredibly popular among tourists.
Interestingly, masala is made from ordinary cheap black tea. And it makes it unusual a unique mixture of spices and milk. This tea is the drink of the poor. When asked by a curious tourist, a rich Indian will answer that it is not customary for them to drink a drink with spices.
Masala has no generally accepted recipe. It is difficult to find in the classic version simply because it does not exist. However, it is known that it contains four essential ingredients: tea, hot milk, spices and a sweetener.
Method number 1: universal masala tea
Ingredients:
- milk - 600 milliliters;
- water - 200 milliliters;
- black tea leaves - two tablespoons;
- sugar - two to three teaspoons.
Spice:
- cinnamon - one stick;
- cardamom - two or three pods;
- peppercorns (black) - six pieces;
- fresh ginger root - a slice three centimeters long;
- dried cloves - three pieces.
Cooking method:
- First you need to grind the spices. Cinnamon needs to be broken in half. Crush cardamom and black pepper in a mortar, and ginger root - grate on a fine grater.
- Then you need to pour one liter of water into the pan, bring it to a boil, add tea to it and let it cook for one minute over low heat.
- Next, pour the milk into the mixture, add spices and sugar. After this, the aromatic liquid should be languished under a lid tightly closed until sugar is completely dissolved. It takes two to four minutes.
- Then you need to turn off the stove, let the drink brew for one minute, add cloves to it and pour into cups.
Method number 2: masala tea with oranges
Ingredients:
- water - one liter;
- black loose tea - two tablespoons;
- an orange - two pieces of medium size;
- sugar to taste.
Spice:
- cardamom - five to six boxes;
- cinnamon - one stick;
- nutmeg - one half of the fruit;
- ground black pepper - one teaspoon;
- fresh ginger root - a piece two centimeters long;
- cloves - two pieces.
Cooking method:
- First of all, you need to grind the spices. Break the cinnamon in half, grind the cardamom in a mortar, grind pepper, ginger and nutmeg grate on a fine grater.
- Next, you need to do an orange. There is no need to clean it. It is enough to wash and pour boiling water for one minute. After this, the fruit should be cut into neat circles across the slices.
- Then you need to put water on the fire and wait until it "rustles". As soon as small bubbles appear, you can pour tea and pre-prepared spices.
- Then you need to wait until the mixture boils, and immediately add orange slices to it. After this, the plate must be turned off and let the drink brew for two to four minutes.
- Before serving, throw a couple of clove buds into it.
It turns out surprisingly tasty and fragrant masala tea. If desired, you can add a couple of anise flowers to it or replace an orange with a lemon. The effect will be no less impressive.
Method number 3: with fennel and star anise
Ingredients:
- water - two cups;
- milk is one cup;
- black tea - a tablespoon with four;
- sugar to taste.
Spice:
- cardamom - two pieces;
- black pepper - two peas;
- star anise - one asterisk;
- cloves - two pieces;
- fennel (seeds) - half a teaspoon;
- grated ginger - one teaspoon;
- clove - half a stick;
- nutmeg - one pinch;
- dry rose - few petals.
Cooking method:
- First of all, you need to grind and mix all the spices.
- After this, it is necessary to bring to a boil the milk, water and tea combined in one container.
- Next, turn off the heat and add spices to the liquid.
- Then the drink should be left to infuse for 10-15 minutes.
- In conclusion, it must be filtered.
This is how great masala tea is prepared. The recipe is extremely simple and suitable for everyone.
Method number 4: with ground spices
In this embodiment, seasoning is not necessary. They can be left in their original form, collected and put in a small bag of thin fabric. Gauze will do. Then the bag is lowered on a string into the water with tea and removed only after it is well infused.
Spice:
- cinnamon - four small sticks;
- cardamom (seeds) - one teaspoon;
- cloves - 10 pieces;
- vanilla powder - one teaspoon.
Ingredients:
- water - five cups;
- black tea - a quarter cup;
- milk - three cups;
- honey is a quarter cup.
Cooking method:
- First you need to pour water into an enameled pan.
- After this, you need to take a bag of spices and place it in water.
- It should be placed so that later it is easy to get it.
- Then you need to bring the water to a boil and reduce the temperature to a minimum.
- Next, the spices must be simmered over low heat for about 10 minutes. Strong boiling can ruin the product.
- Next, turn off the stove, add black tea to the liquid and leave to infuse for two to three minutes.
- After that, remove the bag of spices and add milk, honey and vanilla to the drink.
So our masala tea is ready. How to brew this wonderful treat with ground spices, you now know.
Method number 5: first spices
First you need to mix and bring to a boil two cups of milk and water. After this, it is necessary to grind thoroughly and pour the following spices into the liquid:
- cloves - four pieces;
- cardamom - grains from two boxes;
- black pepper - two peas;
- cinnamon - one stick;
- fresh ginger - a slice with a slice of orange.
Next seasonings should be boiled for a couple of minutes, turn off the heat and add two tablespoons of black tea to the aromatic mixture. He will infuse for three to four minutes. Two tablespoons of sugar - and you can enjoy a wonderful drink!
Cooking secrets
- You must follow certain rules to make delicious masala tea. The recipe involves the use of expensive Darjeeling large-leaf tea. This is optional, but among black drink lovers with spices it is a priority. In India, they prefer a strong and tart Assaam. It is available for any budget, so it is in great demand.
- Milk to make tea should be fat - from 3.6 percent.
- The drink is very bitter without sugar. So from the very beginning you will have to come to terms with the fact that it will be high-calorie. An alternative can be any sweetener - Jerusalem artichoke syrup, agave, stevia, etc.
- It is better not to use honey when serving the drink. Masala tea is usually drunk hot, and heat destroys the value of honey.
- Dry spices are ground immediately before cooking. You can use a conventional coffee grinder to grind. Ground condiments instantly lose their taste and aroma, therefore it is not recommended to store them for a long time.
- Masala spicy tea should not be drunk often. It is pleasant to relish it separately from the meal. The best time is a cool summer or cloudy winter evening.
- A leisurely tea drinking ritual can be supplemented with a couple of pieces of dark chocolate or dry baked goods without cream. A piece of your favorite cupcake will do. Then you will have nothing to fear for your figure.
About the benefits of tea
The benefits of masala tea are hard to overestimate. It has a mass of useful substances that have a warming, tonic, immunomodulatory effect. In addition, the beverage is credited with healing properties. We list all the benefits of this tea:
- It stimulates the immune system. With pepper, ginger root and honey, masala becomes a powerful weapon against bacteria and viruses.
- Invigorates and refreshes. Masala tea contains many seasonings. They accelerate the metabolism, give a lot of energy. If you drink a drink in the morning, then you should season it with mint, star anise, fennel. They will relieve stress, relieve stomach cramps, remove headaches and distraction.
- Improves digestion. If you add fennel and cinnamon to the drink, it will allow you to successfully cope with heartburn and intestinal disorders. In addition, you will forget about morning sickness, bloating and diarrhea.
- It has a warming effect. The composition of masala tea contains ginger root, black pepper, cinnamon. These spices disperse the blood in the body. This will greatly improve your well-being.
- Improves mood and performance. Indians say that after tasting the tea we describe, people forever forget about coffee. Masala has an incomparable aroma. And we already talked about the invigorating effect. At the same time, there is not a drop of harmful caffeine in the drink.
- Improves heart function. Tea with cinnamon, black pepper and coriander reduces the risk of blood clots, strokes, strengthens the walls of blood vessels. The heart muscle also becomes stronger.
- Reduces appetite. A couple cups of nutmeg drink - and you forget about food until the end of the day. It cleanses the body of toxins, speeds up metabolism and fights with excess calories.
This is not all the information about the wonderful properties of masala tea. No wonder he is appreciated all over the world.
Possible harm
A spiced drink can harm those who suffer from a stomach ulcer. The pungent taste causes a large release of gastric juice. And that, in turn, can cause pain and cramping. In addition, tea is contraindicated in people with lactose intolerance. Keep this in mind when refueling a treat with milk. The above problems are the exception rather than the rule. Since the invention of Masala tea, reviews about it are only positive.
Conclusion
Our article has allowed you to immerse yourself in the wonderful world of Indian tea. Masala is good for its unpredictability. With each preparation, he surprises with new shades of aroma and taste. So stock up on spices, buy quality black tea - and go, for new sensations! Bon Appetit!