India. Chai (simply meaning tea in Hindi) has been a daily institution in India since the British colonial promotion of Assam tea in the 19th century. Masala (spiced) chai developed from the Ayurvedic tradition of warm spiced drinks. The chai wallah (tea vendor) is one of India's most constant social institutions.
Masala chai is spiced milk tea — the beverage of India, brewed on every street corner, in every kitchen, at every hour. A proper masala chai is made by simmering the spices in water, adding strong CTC (crush-tear-curl) tea leaves, then full-fat milk, and simmering together until the tea deepens in colour and the milk is slightly reduced. Sweetened with jaggery or sugar. The spice blend is personal and regional.
- Moroccan mint tea (similarly ceremonial tea service with sweet, strong tea); Tibetan butter tea (salt, butter, and strong tea — the high-altitude tea tradition); Taiwanese boba milk tea (the modern commercial evolution of milk tea culture).
Masala chai is both the food and the beverage. The pairing is circular: chai with a samosa, chai with biscuits, chai alone. It is both the beginning and end of the pairing conversation.