The history of Masala tea

When it comes to the tea culture in India, it can be traced back to the early twentieth century. The UK established the Indian Tea Association in India, mainly planting Assam tea in India. Due to the high price, it is mainly exported to foreign trade rather than sold locally, however, the Indian Tea Association began to promote local tea in India and gradually reintroduced tea into Indian society. But because its price is still relatively high, local people boil black tea with milk and spices in order to reduce costs. This not only reduces the cost, but is also closer aligned with the taste of the local people and their palatability.

The English name of Indian tea is Masala chai, in which Masala means compound spice, and chai is the spelling of tea in Roman pinyin. Traditionally, cinnamon, cardamom pods, clove powder, ginger and black peppercorns are boiled with black tea, before adding milk, creamer or condensed milk to make a delicious Indian Masala tea. Nowadays, there are tea bags that enable you to complete a cup of Indian tea simply and quickly.

The flavour of Masala tea

There are many people wondering how the flavour of Masala tea is, and whether it is delicious? The Indian tea that is seen in Taiwan now has a much different flavour from the authentic Masala tea in India. The reason is that authentic Masala tea is more complicated and requires the preparation of many ingredients. The Taiwanese version of Masala tea has also been modified, resulting in a change of taste, and it has become a flavour that is generally accepted by Taiwanese people. It has become the Masala tea to buy in night markets, which is why we find the taste to differ greatly between tea bags and the night market version.

But regardless, this tea has a special flavour that cannot be overshadowed by condensed milk or creamer. However, it should be noted that in order to cover the bitterness of black tea, a lot of condensed milk, sugar, along with other additives are contained in Masala tea at some bubble tea shops. Thus, be careful not to drink too much Masala tea prepared in this manner as it may cause the problem of high blood sugar.

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The effects of Masala tea

There are many ingredients in Masala tea as it is a very diverse compound tea, so today, we will disassemble these ingredients one by one and analyse their respective effects!

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is always implicated in many foods, such as coffee, apple pie or cake. In addition to its unique aroma, it also has some unique effects, which is known as the “king of spices”. Its antibacterial effect was used as a preservative 4000 years ago. It also balances the autonomic nervous system, improves blood circulation, and reduces arthritis pain and swelling. More studies have pointed out that cinnamon can reduce lipids and sugars in the blood and assist you to prevent some cardiovascular diseases.

Cardamom Pods

The effect of cardamom is mainly to improve the discomfort of our digestive organs, promote the secretion of saliva and gastric acid to assist the digestive process, moisten the mouth and stomach, and indirectly improve cough and expectorant to relieve throat discomfort.
In addition, Cardamom can also help prevent bloating, promote sweating and prevent colds. Drinking a cup of Cardamom tea after meals can assist in digestion and prevent bad breath.

Clove powder

The main effect of cloves comes from its analgesic and antibacterial properties. Additionally, the ability to sterilise and disinfect can also relieve gum inflammation and pain, which is why it’s also referred to as “the dentist’s herb”. Another property in cloves called Eugenol, primarily functions to anti-oxidize, prevent coronary artery disease, promote intestinal health, blood circulation and body warmth.

Ginger

Ginger is a very common health care ingredient as it cannot only promote blood circulation and speed up perspiration, but also effectively kills bacteria and enhances resistance. This is why elders always advise consumption of more ginger when you have a cold.

Black pepper

Black pepper is also a well-known health product. Its effects can stimulate the secretion of intestinal enzymes to support digestion, improve insulin sensitivity, help lower blood sugar, and fight free radicals, protecting cardiovascular and preventing lesions.

The method of making Masala tea

The method of making Masala tea is actually not complicated, but rather simple by following the Taiwanese way. Of course, if you make it yourself, it will not be the same as in India, but if you miss Masala tea so much, you can follow me to!

Masala tea preparation

• Black tea
• Condensed milk
• Cream ball
• Water
• Cup
• Steel basin

The steps of making Masala tea:

1. First, pinch the black tea into small pieces and brew it with boiling water for 10 minutes. Here, you don’t have to worry about the time being too long, which will cause the bitterness of the brewed tea, because it can be covered up in the subsequent step.
2. After filtering the tea leaves, add condensed milk and cream balls in accordance with personal taste.
3. After mixing, pour it into a tea cup, and then use another cup to flush each other. The slower the pouring speed, the better, and the farther apart the two cups are, the better.
4. After pouring it continuously, you can see that your Masala tea has a lot of foam, which means that the condensed milk and the brewed tea has been properly mixed together and ready for consumption.

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ABoxTik having Masala tea with you

Masala tea has a solid reputation in Taiwan due to its special aroma that Taiwanese tea does not have, and the sweet flavour suited for all ages. When visiting night markets in the hot summer, you will want to have a cup of cold Masala tea to relieve the stickiness and irritability of summer. The Taiwanese method is also quite simple, you can even buy tea bags directly to get a cup of Masala tea at your own convenience, which is why Masala tea has gradually entered the life of Taiwanese.

ABoxTik will continue to bring everyone different tea knowledge, including history and various analyses of tea culture. In hopes for everyone acquires a better understanding of tea, please read through our articles. If you are interested in various tea cultures, as well as the history and knowledge of tea, you are welcome to explore more secrets of tea with ABoxTik products. Continue to follow our article updates, and visit our official website!