Spices should be steeped in boiling water for 10+ minutes, whereas teas should be steeped for 1-5 minutes, in hot to boiling water, depending on the type of tea. The chaiwallahs on the streets of India (remember Slumdog Millionaire?) make their chai by boiling water, adding the spice, then adding the tea later so it is extracted for a shorter time. They then add the milk and sugar before serving it to you for 2 rupees (4-5 cents). You can and should try making chai like this. However, realize that if you steep the spice in hot water for 5 minutes, then add the tea, the water may have dropped below the desired tea steeping temperature, unless you are preparing it on the stove top.
Element Spice has come up with a chai kit that allows you to make chai in a fun and ideal way. The spice and the tea come in separate containers. You steep the spice in one pot at the right time and temperature and at the same time steep the tea in another container at its right time and temperature. Then you mix the two liquids to achieve your ideal pot of chai.
Showing posts with label spice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spice. Show all posts
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
The Art of Masala Chai
They'll be a lot of posts on this subject, focusing on my idea for Mix 'n Match Chai.
Why Mix 'n Match Chai?
In most coffee shops, even the ones that pride themselves on gourmet coffee and food, the teas, and in particular the chai teas, are largely an afterthought. Even on the rare occasion when the chai doesn’t come from a liquid concentrate or powder mix, there are problems with the way chai is made.
Chai literally means tea in Hindi, but in the rest of the world the term chai generally connotes tea plus spice, which is reasonable, since this is the way Indians almost always take their tea (plus milk and sugar or jaggery). Sometimes, in India, the term “masala” (spice mix) chai is used to specifically distinguish spicy tea from just plain tea, chai.
There are higher-quality chai mixes sold by gourmet purveyors available in the West. These mixes are significant improvements on the liquid concentrates and powders, in that they are whole leaf teas mixed with ground spices. They are still far from an ideal mode by which to make masala chai, however, because spices and teas have different extraction profiles, and so should not be extracted together, or at the very least not for the same amount of time.
Why Mix 'n Match Chai?
In most coffee shops, even the ones that pride themselves on gourmet coffee and food, the teas, and in particular the chai teas, are largely an afterthought. Even on the rare occasion when the chai doesn’t come from a liquid concentrate or powder mix, there are problems with the way chai is made.
Chai literally means tea in Hindi, but in the rest of the world the term chai generally connotes tea plus spice, which is reasonable, since this is the way Indians almost always take their tea (plus milk and sugar or jaggery). Sometimes, in India, the term “masala” (spice mix) chai is used to specifically distinguish spicy tea from just plain tea, chai.
There are higher-quality chai mixes sold by gourmet purveyors available in the West. These mixes are significant improvements on the liquid concentrates and powders, in that they are whole leaf teas mixed with ground spices. They are still far from an ideal mode by which to make masala chai, however, because spices and teas have different extraction profiles, and so should not be extracted together, or at the very least not for the same amount of time.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Chai Extracts
Can liquid chai extracts, basically, brewed chai (spice plus tea), typically at a concentrated level, be good chai? I mean, if this works, then why don't we see gourmet liquid tea extracts?
http://www.harmonychai.com/
http://oregonchai.com/
More on My Chai Idea
16 Chai Combination Kit, $47
4 spice compounds x 4 teas
spice compounds: spark, cozy, balance, nirvana
teas: earl grey black, assam black, tung ting oolong, lemongrass tulsi tisane
makes about 44 cups
net weight approx 8 oz (226g)
36 Chai Combination Kit, $57
6 spice compounds x 6 teas
spice compounds: spark, cozy, balance, nirvana, quaint, savory
teas: earl grey black, assam black, tung ting oolong, genmaicha green, lemongrass tulsi tisane, rooibos tisane
makes about 66 cups
net weight approx 12 oz (340g)
4 spice compounds x 4 teas
spice compounds: spark, cozy, balance, nirvana
teas: earl grey black, assam black, tung ting oolong, lemongrass tulsi tisane
makes about 44 cups
net weight approx 8 oz (226g)
36 Chai Combination Kit, $57
6 spice compounds x 6 teas
spice compounds: spark, cozy, balance, nirvana, quaint, savory
teas: earl grey black, assam black, tung ting oolong, genmaicha green, lemongrass tulsi tisane, rooibos tisane
makes about 66 cups
net weight approx 12 oz (340g)
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Steeping Spice
Steeping Spice
Steep for 10+ minutes in boiling water. The spice compound comes in a coarse grind. If you use a tea ball or strainer, you will get some spice floating in your chai (all the more authentic). If you don’t want these floaties, try a muslin bag.
Steep for 10+ minutes in boiling water. The spice compound comes in a coarse grind. If you use a tea ball or strainer, you will get some spice floating in your chai (all the more authentic). If you don’t want these floaties, try a muslin bag.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
General Chai Directions
Directions
Makes two 8 oz cups of chai tea.
Steep using a tea pot, tea ball, strainer or French press. Note that a French press may not stop extraction when you press the plunger down, so you may want to decant the liquid right after plunging.
(1) Choose one chai spice compound and one tea from your chai kit.
(2) If using two separate pots:
Steep 2 tsp (10 ml) of chai spice compound in 8 oz (1 cup) boiling water for 10+ mins. Steep 2 tsp of tea in 8 oz (1 cup) hot to boiling water for 1-5 mins. Mix the liquids 1:1.
If using one pot:
Steep 2 tsp (10 ml) of chai spice compound in 16 oz (2 cups) of boiling water for 5+ minutes. Add 2 tsp (10 ml) of tea and steep for another 1-5 minutes.
(3) For traditional chai, add milk and sugar. For a refreshing change, try without the milk or sugar. You can even try the spice compound water without the tea!
Makes two 8 oz cups of chai tea.
Steep using a tea pot, tea ball, strainer or French press. Note that a French press may not stop extraction when you press the plunger down, so you may want to decant the liquid right after plunging.
(1) Choose one chai spice compound and one tea from your chai kit.
(2) If using two separate pots:
Steep 2 tsp (10 ml) of chai spice compound in 8 oz (1 cup) boiling water for 10+ mins. Steep 2 tsp of tea in 8 oz (1 cup) hot to boiling water for 1-5 mins. Mix the liquids 1:1.
If using one pot:
Steep 2 tsp (10 ml) of chai spice compound in 16 oz (2 cups) of boiling water for 5+ minutes. Add 2 tsp (10 ml) of tea and steep for another 1-5 minutes.
(3) For traditional chai, add milk and sugar. For a refreshing change, try without the milk or sugar. You can even try the spice compound water without the tea!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Is Tea and Herb or Spice?
Is tea an herb or a spice?
There are no utterly precise, categorical definitions for the terms “herb” and “spice.” Generally, however, an herb comes from the leaf of a plant, whereas a spice comes from elsewhere (seed, bark, etc.). Herbs typically can be used in their fresh or dried form (think cilantro or thyme) whereas spices must be dried or fermented (cumin, pepper, etc.) Herbs often come from temperate zones, spices almost always from the tropics (hence the Spice Route). Since tea is from a leaf, but must be fermented, it is difficult to place in herb/spice duality. We like to think of tea as a special herb or spice, in that it needs delicate, specialized treatment (i.e., proper steeping time and temperature). Coffee, likewise, also would be a special spice.
While the term spice covers a host of ingredients and doesn’t have an entirely fixed meaning (some would consider orange rind to be a spice, others would not), unless you have a special delicate spice such as tea or coffee, spices are generally pretty bulletproof. Most of them can be extracted for long periods and at high temperatures. Therefore, we suggest you just throw your spice compounds in boiling water for 10 or 15 minutes -- you can even steep them more than once. By contrast, you should be extremely attentive to the manner in which you steep your tea. Hints for steeping your tea can be found in this brochure and on our website. Note that herbal teas/tisanes, typically are dried herbs.
There are no utterly precise, categorical definitions for the terms “herb” and “spice.” Generally, however, an herb comes from the leaf of a plant, whereas a spice comes from elsewhere (seed, bark, etc.). Herbs typically can be used in their fresh or dried form (think cilantro or thyme) whereas spices must be dried or fermented (cumin, pepper, etc.) Herbs often come from temperate zones, spices almost always from the tropics (hence the Spice Route). Since tea is from a leaf, but must be fermented, it is difficult to place in herb/spice duality. We like to think of tea as a special herb or spice, in that it needs delicate, specialized treatment (i.e., proper steeping time and temperature). Coffee, likewise, also would be a special spice.
While the term spice covers a host of ingredients and doesn’t have an entirely fixed meaning (some would consider orange rind to be a spice, others would not), unless you have a special delicate spice such as tea or coffee, spices are generally pretty bulletproof. Most of them can be extracted for long periods and at high temperatures. Therefore, we suggest you just throw your spice compounds in boiling water for 10 or 15 minutes -- you can even steep them more than once. By contrast, you should be extremely attentive to the manner in which you steep your tea. Hints for steeping your tea can be found in this brochure and on our website. Note that herbal teas/tisanes, typically are dried herbs.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Element Spice takes this gourmet concept even further by providing you with several spices compounds and several teas to choose from. If you have the 4 spice compounds x 4 teas kit, you have 4 x 4 = 16 chai combinations to choose from. If you have the 6 x 6 kit, you have 36 chai combinations.
Note that the term “herbal tea” as applied to chamomile or lemon grass, among others, means a non-caffeinated tea substitute, i.e., not tea at all. To avoid confusion, we prefer to use the term “tisane.”
Note that the term “herbal tea” as applied to chamomile or lemon grass, among others, means a non-caffeinated tea substitute, i.e., not tea at all. To avoid confusion, we prefer to use the term “tisane.”
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Element Spice and The Indian Kitchen
Greetings everyone, this is first entry in the ELEMENT SPICE culinary blog!While many of the entries will relate specifically to the spice compounds made by ELEMENT SPICE, there will also be various culinary topics and musings. ELEMENT SPICE, as a concept, was born out of Robert's experience living in India, on and off, for the past couple of years. While participating in the new Indian economy, I found myself enraptured with the Indian way of eating and cooking. I took cooking classes in Delhi, visited a spice plantation in Goa, a tea plantation near Ooty in Tamil Nadu (Kaikatty Indco Collective), and spice markets in Cochin, Kerala, including the world's last remaining pepper exchange. The way that Indians use spice is quite an art form, and heck, they were the original reason that foreigners traveled there. Sail an empty ship to India, fill the holds with spice, and if you made it back, you were rich!
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