September 21 may be National Chai Day but for many of us, that’s every day. The traditional Indian beverage, which is also known as Masala Chai, dates back nearly 5,000 years. It’s still served today in homes, restaurants, and cafes, with different variations. Urban Village Grill, the Lone Tree restaurant, serves two chai beverages on their menu. One is alcoholic and one is not. Chef Charlie Mani was kind enough to share the recipes with In Good Taste so you can try your hand at making them at home.
Masala Chai aka Ginger Cardamom Chai
Serves 3
Ingredients:
2 cups of water
4 Cardamom * (Elaichi) pods/seeds, crushed
2 TBS ginger, grated and crushed
2 tsp Assam tea leaves * (adjust to your liking)
1 cup milk
4 tsp sugar (adjust to your liking)
Instructions:
To begin, place a saucepan on the heat. Add water, tea leaves, ginger and crushed cardamom with the peels intact, into the water and bring it to a boil.
Allow it to simmer, with the heat on medium, for a good 5-7 minutes, till the color of the water changes to a mild yellowish hue.
At this stage, add sugar and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes till the water gets a deep hue of red and the sugar has dissolved.
Simmering makes the tea strong. If you prefer a light version, reduce the simmering time, and check the color.
Finally add milk and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes more.
*Chef Charlie says you can find cardamom pods and Assam tea leaves in local grocery stores, international grocery stores, and online. Here’s an Amazon link for the pods, and one for the Assam tea leaves too.
Chai on Steeps Cocktail Recipe
Makes 1 cocktail
Ingredients:
1.5 oz of Vodka
0.5 oz of Kahula (or the coffee liqueur of your choosing)
3 oz of Chai from the recipe above, that has been chilling during the day
Instructions:
Pour the three ingredients into a cocktail shaker, mix, then pour over a large ice cube in a glass to keep it from melting and diluting too quickly.
Visit Urban Village Grill to have the pros make these drinks for you, while enjoying Chef Charlie Mani’s unique take on Indian cuisine.
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