Scientists claim that the first masala tea appeared in Asian civilization about 7,000 years ago, and the spicy mixture was originally part of Ayurvedic culture — used for medicinal purposes. This drink still performs a warming function, as it mainly includes “warm” types of spices. Besides, masala tea in India is often sweetened raw coconut sugar, the so-called “jagger”, which is famous for its useful properties and ability to prolong life.
According to one of the scientific versions, spices were added to buffalo milk to give the drink additional benefits and a pleasant aroma. Such tea was more of a meal – hearty and warming, which gives a charge of energy and does not require a lot of time to prepare. The creators of the masala tea recipe we know today are considered to be the residents of Bengal and Gujarat, who had access to good tea leaves and high-quality milk at the same time.
There are many options for recipes and methods of preparing masala tea. Most often, its basis is fully fermented (black) tea, but we also know recipes from Kashmir, where masala tea is prepared using green tea leaves. A similar spicy drink in Africa is served boiled at the gathering of herbs or as a tea like “Rooibos”, chilled with ice cream — which is quite interesting, given that the spices have a burning, warming effect. However, it is also very tasty.
The number of spices included in tea masala varies from three pieces to a dozen and a half. In India, the choice of spices for tea is influenced by weather conditions and geographical location. Residents of Western India do not like to add cloves and black pepper to masala tea. In Kashmir, a more sophisticated blend of spices is preferred, including almonds, cardamom, saffron, cloves and cinnamon from Ceylon. In the lake region of Madhya Pradesh, a pinch of salt is often added to tea. Recipes vary even in the same village —in each family, masala tea is cooked in its own way, using its own little tricks.
The MASALE family shares with you their spicy secrets, and to attract you to the secrets of tea our new tea spice mixture Masala tea
- bring one and a half liters of water/milk* to a boil
- add the entire contents of one Masala-tea bag
- mix, cover and remove from heat
- let the drink infuse under the lid for 10 minutes
- if desired, strain and pour into your favorite cups
* We use a regular blend of organic coconut milk from Sri Lanka and water at the rate of one part milk to three to four parts water. But you can cook masala tea simply on water, or only on milk, using milk of animal origin or its vegetable substitutes. Choose the ingredients according to your tastes and preferences.
The MASALE family wishes you a nice day and vivid experiences!
