Chopped Chai Mix

In some parts of India it is said that even if one were to live to be 1000 years old, it would be possible to sample a different chai every day of one’s life. Among India’s more than 1 billion people, although an exact recipe count is impossible, there are literally hundreds of thousands of chai variations from province to province, city to city, town to town, village to village and family to family. In our nearly 30 years of doing business on the sub-continent, we’ve had the pleasure of sampling hundreds of them. We’ve had chai prepared by priests in villages that were accessible only by Cessna, chai prepared outside train stations boiled up in old tin cans, chai prepared in gold plated decanters at Planter’s Clubs in the foothills of the Himalayas, chai that has blown our heads off with its almost over-stimulating blend of spice and pepper and Chai prepared from the back of a horse drawn cart that perfectly complimented the pale light of dusk in the Calcutta market. Seriously, we could write a book about the Chais we’ve loved before.

Now, even with all the variations in Chai available in India, most recipes share some constants: ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cloves and black pepper. (The standard savory mix we are offering here.) What is added on top of the standard mix is where it gets interesting. Chai-wallahs, (sellers), might add saffron, vanilla pods, pieces of dried fruit, chili peppers, crushed nuts and just about anything else they can lay their hands on to personalize their product. As you can well imagine, Chai selling is a very creative enterprise.

Our hope in offering this ground Chai mix is that we’ll get your creative juices flowing. Use it to develop some spicy blends of your own. For a start, try adding the mix to black teas, green teas or Rooibos. Or shake things up and blend it into one of our premium-flavored teas like vanilla, peach or orange. With chai, the possibilities are endless. Let us know what you come up with - we’re always looking for another cup to add to our collection.

Spice up your tea selection with these flavorful Chai variations.

Tropical almond Chai - A mouth watering, full-bodied chai with hints of sweet nut.

• 1 part Assam tea
• 1/8 part Chopped Chai Mix
• 1/8 part chopped Almond pieces
• Thoroughly blend all ingredients and place in jars or tins.

• 1 part Rooibos
• 1/8 part Chopped Chai Mix
• 1/8 part freeze dried Mango pieces
• Thoroughly blend all ingredients and place in jars or tins.