Kolkata Chai
In 2018 I travelled to Kolkata to learn more about the tea industry and meet tea traders. My hotel was thoroughly corporate, and the tea was awful. So several times a day, to the visible horror of the hotel's security guards, I slipped out to the chaiwallah at the end of the block, who was serving the most extraordinary chai. He couldn't understand why I was paying for tea when the hotel gave it away free, until I explained that his was infinitely better. On my last day I cheekily asked for his recipe. Absolutely not, he said; top secret. After a little back and forth, he agreed to let me watch him make a batch. I scribbled down what notes I could, and this is my attempt at recreating his wonderful chai.
Dotted along every street in Kolkata are chaiwallahs, each brewing their own secret recipe of masala chai, served strong, milky and very sweet in small earthenware cups that are crushed and discarded after every use. The best spots are highly coveted; the finest chaiwallahs draw a crowd that spills into the street, office workers stopping by for a break and a lively cup.
Our blend begins with a rich black tea base, with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves and black pepper, plus his special ingredient: a little saffron, which adds real warmth and depth. Best served strong and milky, with a little sugar, in a small cup, as it should be.
A curious thing about chai: I drank it on the street in Kolkata in 40°C heat, and somehow it was the most refreshing thing imaginable. There is real science behind why a small, hot, intensely flavoured cup can cool you down on a warm day. Worth a try when the weather turns; or shake it over ice for a grown-up iced chai.
For the full experience, brew on the stovetop: bring 1 cup of water to the boil, add 2 teaspoons of Kolkata Chai and boil for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of milk (plant or dairy), reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Strain and enjoy.
Ingredients || Black tea, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, saffron
Warning, packed in an environment that contains nuts
Caffeine || Yes
Tasting Notes || Spicy and uplifting
Brewing Notes || 1 teaspoon per cup, 100ºC, brew for 4 minutes.