What's In Your Chai?

Discussion in 'Recipe Central' started by Rihana, Feb 4, 2021.

  1. Anusha2917

    Anusha2917 IL Hall of Fame

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    The copper bottom was good until recently. Once I started putting it in the dw that copper at the bottom is disappearing.
    One is not supposed to put this in a dw ?))
     
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  2. Hopikrishnan

    Hopikrishnan Platinum IL'ite

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    Hahaha...... way back there was one FOB-desi who let it slip in a desi-gathering that she was from Salem. An American born desi child heard, took that in all the way, and went to her mom and asked if the woman-from-Salem could be a witch. [Salem, MA is different from Salem, TN, which is different from Salem, OR]

    Spiced Chai recipes have lots of things - almost like a witch's brew, short a newt's eye. This is a nice thread to bring out the secrets of the cauldron, copper bottomed or not.
     
  3. Hopikrishnan

    Hopikrishnan Platinum IL'ite

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    Copper cladding is the innovation for even heat distribution to the metal of the pan. Copper (also used in water pipes in USA homes) tends to corrode with high pH as well as how it was attached to the steel surface (electroplating or some physical method like melt-and-coat).

    For uniform heat diffusion, we can now buy a simple copper plate one would put on the cooking range and keep the pot-with-food on top of it. Amazon sells it. This kind of heat diffusion plate is useful if you are making "dum" items, like biriyani -- slow cooked over longer time, without any stirring. Search "heat diffuser copper plate" on google or amazon.
     
  4. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    :hello:@Rihana & other respondents here:

    OP’s few questions accurately and imaginatively stands answered that includes a punch to Pakistan for replacing Aish & Priyanka with map showing parts of jk annexed by Pak.

    2. Now what is my Chai?
    My association with tea began in my teens when I needed to study in the night as tea thermos as my companion. I wonder why at times of exam my mom preferred to keep me awake with warm tea. The tea powder in small yellow paper bags costing an anna or two was used for my high tea or night tea.

    3. Tea brings to mind gossip in college canteen, and in office and boy MUTHU in lodge who was taught by me to have a pantry and do business of supplying tea to inmates.

    4. Spouse takes one or two spoons of various brands of tea and get a new blend of tea served always in bone china porcelain cups. It tastes better in that. This is known as darling brand tea is world’s rarest.

    5. Tea leaves after plucking processed to make it suitable for blending and bringing out better flavour and brew colour . CTC -Crush, tear, curl(sometimes cut, tear, curl) - Curl, Twist, Cut - is one of two processes. The tea processed in this manner render itself easy for adulteration.

    6. Worlds costliest tea is from China known as Da-Hong Pao tea worth more than gold and current costs about $1800 per gram. Champagne tea is from Darjeeling a hilly region in West Bengal - is India’s costliest version.

    7. Silver Tips Imperial may be India's priciest tea. This brand man avers that the aligning of the sun, moon, and other cosmic forces produces the right conditions for an optimum harvest. This "biodynamic tea farm" relies on a celestial calendar to know when to harvest, but the plucking season is generally held from March to October.

    8. On a full moon night, Silver Tips Imperial tea leaves are picked and packed before sunrise. This expensive tea leaves are plucked only five to six times in a year and that too only under full moon which is believed to create and impart anti ageing chemicals in it. There are testers employed at labs of production centres at CTC several lacs for sorting blending flavour vice.

    9. The antioxidants in black tea may counteract the negative effects of free radicals, protecting cells from damage and reducing inflammation.
    • Our body naturally produces highly reactive chemicals called free radicals.
    • When too many accumulate, they can damage tissues and contribute to disease and accelerate ageing.
    • Flavonoids in tea provide more nutrition too. You know now or before, why it is more popular beverage around the world.

    10. Having said all these, I wonder why none thought of discussing the water in which selected ingredients and tea powder to be boiled. Could it be chlorine treated water or well water, hard or soft water. Some experts say that oxygen bubbles start forming at the bottom of vessel, tea to be gently dropped in it. Some claim to wait for water to boil and simmer. Frozen or fresh Ginger cubes first followed by cardamom cinnamon saffron and then tea powder or tea bag...

    11. Now to the Dilfficult part i. e. Cleaning with which we ged fed up easily. But to easy clean the kettle - google idea -Baking soda is a great choice for removing stubborn black burnt marks from utensils. All you need to do is soak the utensil in a paste made with baking soda and water for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Wash with regular any dish soap and water to see the utensil shine like before. Vinegar too can be added to water in which kettle soaked overnight.

    12. Even ordinary Tea -served in a place high altitude near or at foot of the mountain - with right ambience and at at the right breezy moment by loved one or beloved one - in that aesthetic attire & devouring looks (as appear in tea visuals) is always welcomed with open arms!
    (Next paragraph no. Omitted being superstitious)

    14. T - could be temperature for Doctors, it could be Thymine For chemists, it could be a drop Tee for a golfer, it could be THYAGU or THYAGI for my IL friends but it stands for TEA for me in Thermos Flask. It took great deal of time & thought and dot the ‘i’s & cross the ‘t’s to formulate this response to this high TEA.

    GOD - of beverages,I cry Chai ki Jai.
     
    Last edited: Feb 6, 2021
  5. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    :hello:Thanks. It is ok welcome - if not in traditional - because i need at all costs.
    Regards.
     
  6. vidhyalakshmid

    vidhyalakshmid IL Hall of Fame

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    I am also from Salem,TN. It reminds me of my introduction speech in toastmasters, in which I have introduced myself as I am from Salem, not to be mistaken from Oregan Salem or Massachutes Salem.:grinning:
     
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  7. Thoughtful

    Thoughtful Gold IL'ite

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    This version is addictive when done right and I find myself drinking more than twice a day. Here is the recipe:

    To grind:
    Green cardamom - 1 tbsp
    Cinnamon sticks - equivalent to 1 tbsp ground powder
    Black peppercorn - 3/4th tbsp
    Cloves - 1/2 tbsp
    nutmeg - 1/4th

    lightly roast the above on medium stove until you can smell the aromas. If pre-heated pan, this will be less than a minute. make sure not to over heat this.

    grind the above about 75-80% fine-grained, not more than that.

    I like the spice, you can reduce the black peppercorn to 1/2tbsp for less spice.

    The ratio of water to milk is around 60-40 but you might have a different proportion figured out based on the milk you use. The water to milk proportion does matter, so, experiment with it.

    Steps:
    1. Boil water
    2. add crushed ginger to boiling water( i like the spice so I put 1 tbsp of this ). Give it a minute for ginger flavor to spread.
    3. add 1/4th tbsp of the above ground spice and leave it for a few seconds. this should give a nice aroma.
    4. add tea leaves and let it boil till the tea color is to your taste liking.
    5. add milk and let it boil nicely.

    Add sugar to your cup and pour the tea.
     
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  8. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    Salem is also a brand of cigarette in US.
     
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