No matter how many benefits of chai you had been exploring so far, kadak tea had always been the favourite among all Indian household milk teas. This strong tea is of deep amber colour and has a signature strength. Crush, tea, and curled tea granules are used in the best kadak chai recipe. Water, sugar, milk, cardamom, ginger, and other spices are mixed in the right proportions to serve you something kadak and energising with every sip.
How does Kadak Chai taste?
Did it happen to you, too? The moment you heard of kadak chai, did you think of the tea served at your favourite teastall or that popular dhaba? The elaborate chai session can rock with a warm, robust cup of kadak masala chai.
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It is a strong chai that often complements the flavours of spices like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and more.
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The texture and colour of kadak tea can tell you its story, with an undeniable aromatic taste of Chai Tea.
Now you must be wondering what exactly this term Chai Tea indicates. Let's look closely.
What is Chai Tea?
Several people call kadak chai "Chai Tea," especially in the West. Chai Tea makes it sound like tea tea, which of course may not make sense to you when you hear it at once. If you are confused, try to connect it with Ghee Butter, which means clarified butter butter.
Chai Tea, or kadak chai, is available in most Western coffee shops, and presently, with so many brands flooding into India, you can come across this term here too. The biggest difference is that in Kadak chai, they use tea granules, milk, water, spices, and a sweetener, whereas Chai Tea is made with a powdered mix (spices, tea leaves, sugar) mixed with milk.
You can control the amount of sweetener in normal kadak chai, but it is not possible in Chai Tea. Explore our blog on in depth kadak masala tea reciepe
Kadak Chai Recipe At Home
Ingredients for preparing 2 large cups of Kadak Chai
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Water- Take one and a half cups of water
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Milk- Taking one cup of milk is good. (Some people prefer less milk. In that case, they take more water and less milk)
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Add 2-3 teaspoons of The Pahadi Story Kadak Chai leaves
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Add a sweetener to your taste. If you are taking sugar as a sweetener, 2-3 teaspoons are enough.
Masala Add-Ons Completely Optional
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Take one inch of crushed fresh ginger
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Crushed 2 green cardamoms
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You can take a pinch of cinnamon
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1 clove
Instructions to Follow
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Put the Spices to Boil
Take the water and pour it into the saucepan. Let it boil on medium- high heat if you have selected some spices to make your kadak chai more flavourful. You can choose from ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, etc. Keep it boiling for at least 2-3 minutes. This is done to ensure the flavours and essential oils infuse completely in your teacup. The aroma will spread throughout your entire room.
Adding Tea and Sweetener
Add the Kadak masala chai leaves to the infused boiled water. Add sugar to it after adding the tea leaves. Let it boil for another couple of minutes till the colour of the boiled water turns dark amber.
Pouring Milk
Once the boiled water has an amber colour, you can add milk to it. During this tea, keep the heat flames low so that the tea doesn't overflow. Let the chai boil steadily for 3-4 minutes till you are satisfied with the texture and colour. You can use a spoon or a ladle to stir the tea and aerate the tea from the sides to make it frothier.
Sieve and Serve
Turn off the gas. Sieve and sip your kadak chai in your favourite teacup. It will taste exclusively excellent if you can pour it into clay kulhads. Serve it hot and see how people get mesmerised by the aroma it gives out.
Customising Kadak Chai
Yes, it is possible to customise your favourite kadak chai with anything you want. For instance:
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Choosing simple adrak chai/ ghar waali chai, or converting it to kadak masala chai with spices.
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Choosing a sweetener to your taste in the desired quantities.
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Selecting the preferred milk. It can be regular cow's milk, buffalo milk, or other dairy milk, or some plant-based milk.
Pro Tip:
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For a strong kadak chai recipe, add milk while the tea is still boiling and is on the stove. Some people add milk after sieving the tea, where the kadak chai essence loses its taste.
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Milk can be of your choice, skimmed, low-fat, full-fat, or anything else.
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Sugar here is something that can be added while the tea is boiling or after you have sieved it into the cup. However, adding it while boiling enhances the taste.
It indeed concludes the Indian kadak chai recipe to its fullest. Do you want to add something more to it?
Myth Associated With Kadak Chai
Have you also heard that you can put more tea leaves in chai if you want to make it kadak? Yes, this is the biggest myth associated with the kadak chai recipe at home. More myths exist; let's explain them in brief.
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Some people put too many tea leaves or boil it for too long to make it kadak. In no regard does it fulfil the criteria to become kadak; instead, you will get more tannins by boiling tea leaves for longer. The chai turns bitter, harsh, and undrinkable, instead of that rich flavour here.
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People often think that kadak chai started around 5,000 years ago, when an Indian king wanted to cure his headache with strongly blended Ayurvedic spices and named it Kadak chai. In reality, it was a blend of spices used for healing and was named Kadha. Initially, it had no tea leaves.
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People think kadak chai had been originated in India, but the original Camellia sinensis tea was introduced during the British Empire to break the forever Chinese tea monopoly.
You need less tea in reality, but of good quality, like from The Pahadi Story. You need to simmer it gently so that the kadak tea infuses the flavour of tea and spices properly. Here, kadak tea is not a mere refreshing Indian beverage but a blend of strong tea and several spices.
Benefits of Drinking Kadak Chai
Several advantages are associated with kadak chai, like:
Rich in Antioxidants
Spices used in kadak tea like cinnamon, cloves, and ginger come high in antioxidants and are rich in antibacterial properties.
Good For Stomach
Certain spices used in chai here, such as black pepper and ajwain, can help with stomach issues.
Refreshment Feeling
Besides having inflammation properties, it directly boosts energy levels.
Is Milk Mandatory For Kadak Chai?
Though most of the strong Indian tea recipes show tea in them, one can expect some homemade kadak chai to be prepared without milk too. Traditionally, if you visualise kadak chai, you will see a creamy, textured, strong, and fully aromatic tea, but even this kadak chai can be made with all the other ingredients except milk.
Two different styles of Kadak chai
Kadak chai with milk: It is also called the common Doodhwali Chai, as the water composition reduces when water boils to control the tannins present in black tea. The milk tea recipe has a rich, creamy, relaxing texture, which is how chai is served in most places.
Kadak chai without milk: People often call it kali chai or black tea, and drinking it without milk ensures the strong texture and taste remain throughout.
Wrapping Up With Freshly Brewed Kadak Chai
Hardly any Indian house starts its day without chai, and kadak chai is widely used. The Pahadi Story understands how people are emotionally and habitually connected to kadak chai, and hence, its kadak chai is unique in every way. Some brews are worth trying, just like this tea, as with every sip, you don't just try a beverage but give chances for laughter, memories, and bonds to build.
Chai is for everyone and every mood!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can adrak chai be called as kadak chai?
Adrak chai can be called as kadak chai if the preparation process of kadak chai is followed. Here, adrak can be used as the spice to add a unique aroma to the tea.
What makes regular chai different from kadak chai?
The brewing strength, milk balance, and spices used in kadak chai can easily dictate the difference between regular chai and kadak chai. Regular tea uses less tea leaves than kadak chai.
Can I drink kadak chai daily?
Yes, drinking kadak chai daily is fine, but it should not go beyond 1-2 cups a day. The antioxidant-rich spices present in kadak chai are good for immunity. One can drink it in the morning or in the evening to kickstart their day.
Can I use jaggery as a sweetener in my kadak chai?
Jaggery can be used as a sweetener if one likes its taste in their kadak chai. Traditionally, unfiltered sweetener jaggery was used in chai, and if someone likes the taste, they can choose it.
