Masala Chai Tea

Botanical: Camellia sinensis

Origin: Sri Lanka

Health Benifits: The list of health-giving attributes is long and as old as time. Each
spice has specific medicinal properties that include reducing inflammation, aiding digestion, fighting colds and beating fatigue.

In Hindi, Masala Chai literally translates to ‘mixed-spice tea’. Indian tea culture has always been primarily medicinal rather than recreational so the addition of spices to tea was a given. The beverage may have been brewed as far back as 9000 years ago but not at that time with tea. There are many different recipes but the spices we use are referred to as the ‘warming spices’, including cinnamon sticks, fennel seeds and cloves of cardamom. While the traditional Chai is made with buffalo milk, fortunately, dairy milk or nut milk is more than an adequate substitute. Masala Chai is not just for the health-conscious, it is a rich spicy and highly aromatic beverage to be enjoyed hot or cold. Although technically a black tea it is commonly referred to as a herbal tea in spite of having no herbs amongst its ingredients.

Brewing Masala Chai Tea
To get the piquant, peppery taste and creamy mouth feel of Masala Chai Tea, take 1 teaspoon of our Yahava Masala Chai Black Tea and steep it in a 220 ml cup of milk heated to 75°c for about 2-5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the milk and use milk alternatives if you desire. Add a slice of lemon for that extra kick!

The Atlas Moth

Attacus atlas

The world’s largest moth has a huge 30-centimeter wingspan. Atlas was the Greek God who held the sky on his shoulders. The intricate ‘map-like’ markings and patterns on the wings are as varied and beautiful as the spices in our Chai. This Asian beauty can be found wherever cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves and star of anise grows.