Maybe some of you are reading about chai tea for first time. We will approach this topic as if you are learning the steps of the Latin dance, Cha-Cha. The first thing an instructor can do is explain how the dance got its name. In the following paragraph, I will do the same with this increasingly popular drink called chai tea.
Interestingly, chai tea is actually an elemental expression. Simply put, both chai and chai are exactly the same words, only words written in different languages. To differentiate it from other types of tea, we will use the term chai tea, which means tea made from four ingredients. Essentially, they are tea, milk, and spices sweetened with sugar or honey.
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What we call chai in the west, people call it masala chai in the east. This drink is extremely popular in Southern Asia. In India, it is sold in cafes and by street vendors called chai walls. These merchants take their pots of hot tea daily for business in the late morning or early afternoon. In addition to selling their beverages, tea vendors also share the latest news and gossip.
Now that we know how "dance" got its name, let's go through some of the steps. The strongest black tea is used in India to make Masala Chai. It is traditionally boiled with tea leaves, not steeped. Westerners have changed some of the dance steps. Usually, the tea here is made with a mixture of spices.
In India, this spice blend is called chai masala, as opposed to the beverage, masala chai. In learning the Cha Cha, some dance steps can be confusing to learn. Similarly, the different names and components used to make chai tea have caused confusion for some.
Well, now you know how this "dance" got its name and you have learned the steps. Now it's time to dance cha and drink tea. We are guessing that no one in this country has seen a chaiwala selling tea, at least not yet. Instead of stopping at a tea shop for news and gossip, we meet at coffee shops to meet and chat with friends.
Americans buy chai tea from places like Barney's Coffee and Tea Company, Seattle's Best Coffee, or Caribou Coffee Company. At your neighborhood Starbucks, you can also buy an iced tea-based drink. This version of their popular Frappuccino drink is made with a coffee-free cream and tea concentrate.
You may be wondering about the health benefits of dancing, or as we use the term tea drinking in this case. Masala chai, formerly prepared with strong black tea, may contain a caffeine content comparable to that of coffee. Perhaps this is the reason why green tea has been marketed as a healthier alternative to drinking coffee.
A chai latte, or chai latte, is a steamed milk drink sold in coffee houses that is made using a spiced tea blend or concentrated liquid instead of espresso. This allows you to drink that second cup of tea without the guilt or accident that goes with all that extra caffeine in coffee. On the other hand, the tea drinks sold at many of these establishments may not have the health benefits that come with masala tea. If chai tea is not mixed fresh daily, it will not be as effective. In addition, since tea is made in southern Asia and India, whole spices are used. A variety of spices have been used to treat or relieve medical symptoms for hundreds of years in those cultures.
Well, the dance class for today is over. The instructor has a final note about drinking chai tea. Studies about all the potential benefits of tea are still open to debate. However, most agree that the alternative to drinking tea is beneficial overall. As is true with dancing cha, preparing the drink yourself is more likely to reap those benefits than by viewing it from the side.
Now, enjoy life as you dance cha and drink chai.