The popular everyday drink from India.
Spices
Assamese Black Tea
Botanically known as Camellia sinensis var. Assamica , is a type of tea that originates from the Assam region in northeast India. This region is one of the largest tea-growing...
Assamese Black Tea
Botanically known as Camellia sinensis var. Assamica , is a type of tea that originates from the Assam region in northeast India. This region is one of the largest tea-growing...
Rooibos
botanically known as Aspalathus linearis , is a plant species in the legume family (Fabaceae). Rooibos originally comes from the Cederberg Mountains in the Western Cape of South Africa, where...
Rooibos
botanically known as Aspalathus linearis , is a plant species in the legume family (Fabaceae). Rooibos originally comes from the Cederberg Mountains in the Western Cape of South Africa, where...
Turmeric
botanically known as Curcuma longa , is a plant species in the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). Turmeric is native to South Asia, particularly India, where it has been used in cooking...
Turmeric
botanically known as Curcuma longa , is a plant species in the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). Turmeric is native to South Asia, particularly India, where it has been used in cooking...
Cardamom
Botanically known as Elettaria cardamomum , is a plant species in the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). Cardamom originally comes from tropical India and Sri Lanka. Today it is also cultivated in...
Cardamom
Botanically known as Elettaria cardamomum , is a plant species in the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). Cardamom originally comes from tropical India and Sri Lanka. Today it is also cultivated in...
Nutmeg
Botanically known as Myristica fragrans , is the seed of the nutmeg tree, which belongs to the nutmeg family (Myristicaceae). Nutmeg originally comes from the Banda Islands, which are part...
Nutmeg
Botanically known as Myristica fragrans , is the seed of the nutmeg tree, which belongs to the nutmeg family (Myristicaceae). Nutmeg originally comes from the Banda Islands, which are part...
Carnations
Botanically known as Syzygium aromaticum , they are the dried flower buds of an evergreen tree in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae). Cloves originally come from the Moluccas (Spice Islands) in...
Carnations
Botanically known as Syzygium aromaticum , they are the dried flower buds of an evergreen tree in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae). Cloves originally come from the Moluccas (Spice Islands) in...
In India, the word “chai” means tea.
What is the difference between chai and tea?
Both drinks are similar, but differ in the following respect: tea is made from loose leaves and is usually brewed neat, meaning only with water, and possibly served with a small amount of milk.
Chai, on the other hand, is based on a CTC base, which stands for "cut, tear and curl" and describes tightly rolled black tea leaves with very low moisture content. Milk and spices are added to create a balanced taste with a rich aroma. The classic Indian chai is also usually prepared with sugar, which is optional when it comes to Western tea.
The terms explained simply.
In India, the term "chai" means tea. However, the ingredients and preparation differ from Western tea. In India, chai is cooked with milk and sugar, which can lead to confusion with Western milk tea.
As chai continues to grow in popularity, Western tea drinkers have started to refer to milk tea as chai tea or chai latte. But that's not correct. Milk tea is not chai. For example, a milk tea can be prepared with herbs, that would never be called a chai tough. A chai latte is the combination of the Italian word latte, which means (foamed) milk, and the addition chai, which in the West often corresponds to a very flexible preparation. So you can order a chai latte in a café and maybe get one. If they live up to the word, it means, for example, a black tea base boiled with various spices, milk and sugar. We have created an essence for restaurants that helps them simplify this preparation process. And if the café prepares the chai latte like this, then it actually is a real chai.
