Authentic Chai Set used by Chaiwallahas

Ask anyone who has been to India (the origin of Chai) and you wouldn't hear them saying "Chai tea", or "Chai tea latte'". Chai in Hindi, simply means tea. Calling it otherwise is redundant.

Secondly, Chai is usually made with a black tea of CTC (cut, tear, curl) grade. This grade is more conducive to boiling. After the leaf is boiled for a while, milk and sugar are added and let to boil again. Adding spices is usually limited to just one or two. The most common being, ginger, fennel, or cardamom.

Here are some of the many names for India's wonderful national drink:

"500 Mile chai"
"Indian Railway Tea"
"Masala Chai"
"Adrak or Ginger Chai"
"Elaichi or Cardamon Chai"

 To discover true chai, one has to make more effort in today's India. Try to discover the authentic clay "kasora" or cup, that is used for serving chai at train stations. There is a wonderful earthy smell from the wet clay - we call it the smell of India. To most Indians, this combination of the smell and the flavor is real chai.

We encourage our guests to make their own chai at home, in lieu of the concentrates and powders now available in the United States. For brewing suggestions, view the Chai page in our site.