Masala Chai: A tea with dash of spice

Although tea is consumed as hot beverage in pure form without any additives. There are lot many tea lover’s who consume tea with spices or masala. This trend is becoming popular all over the world; albeit a very large number of hot tea drinkers still prefer tea in its original form with sugar and milk sans other additives.

Spices or Masala add a distinct spicy note to the tea flavor, depending upon the condiment used. Many powdered spices are available in the market for adding to the tea. Mostly they are compounded together to form a mix or a blend that gels perfectly with the tea flavor and enriches it further with a distinct taste of its own. In case of spice tea or masala tea the spices used should be in perfect harmony with the flavor of the tea leaves whether green tea leaf or black tea leaf. Fresh ground spices and herbs are again very popular tea additives in many tea recipes.

Apart from the taste masalas add to health benefit since the medicinal aspects of spices is well known all over the world. Most commonly preferred tea spices are cardamom and ginger either in natural form or as extract or powder. Cinnamon again is very popular. Other spices or herbs used are mint, ginseng, lemon grass and many endemic herbs and spices popular in many countries.

All forms of tea natural organic green, white and organic black tea taste well with spices. Highly taste rich or flavorful tea leaves as the Darjeeling tea are rarely had with spices as the musky spiciness of Darjeeling tea requires no additives.

If properly blended spices and herbs add to the taste of the tea and impart health benefits to the consumer as well. Even those who prefer the hot beverage without any spices would like to add ginger extract or powder in cold climates to ward off the cold and for a smooth throat effect. Like wise other tea additives could be used occasionally.