Thai Chai

I decided to finish off my last little bit of Thai Chai in style – by making it traditional-style like I’ve been saying I will for months.

I used this recipe on the website www.chai-wallah.com

In a pot bring to the boil 1 cup milk and one cup water.
Add 2 tsp of the chai/tea mix to the boiling liquid.
Add 2 1/2 to 3 tsp of sugar or sweetener of choice.
Simmer for two minutes and strain through a fine tea strainer.

I used skim milk so technically it isn’t old-school chai – but then lemongrass and coconut aren’t your standard chai ingredients anyway. I used wildflower honey as a sweetener.

It’s a little bit messy and more time-consuming than just brewing it in a cup with hot water but the results were worth it. It tasted like I’d added pure coconut milk to the tea – it was just sweet enough and the coconut flavour in particular was really prominent. It was smooth and creamy-tasting without the slightest hint of astringency. I’m so going to have to try other chais this way.

Onto some more samples from CHAroma tonight as I await trick-or-treaters!

I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting with this one, but I was initially quite put off by a very soapy aroma from both the dry and steeped tea. It dissipated after the tea sat a while, but kind of grossed me out a bit. Other than that, the aroma reminded me a lot of Zhena’s Gypsy Tea Coconut Chai; sweet and coconutty, with a hint of exotic spiciness. I think I can also smell the lemongrass.

Unfortunately, I’m getting soapiness as a flavour as well. The flavours otherwise strongly remind me of the above mentioned coconut chai, which I adore, but the soapiness is unbearable for me. I really have no idea where it’s coming from; this was sent in its original packet so I doubt there’s flavour contamination. Sometimes I wonder, though, whether old coconut goes soapy after a while…

Either way, I really want to like this tea, and I am adoring what I can taste of it and the delicious mix of lemongrass, chai spices, and coconut, but I can’t get past the soapiness. (I’m trying to!) Perhaps it would go away if I sweetened/added milk to the tea, but my hopes aren’t particularly high. I may give that a shot later, though.

Thanks for passing some of this one along, CHAroma!

In celebration of Coconut Day, I invite you, steepsterites, to join me in a rousing rendition of The Coconut Song, which I have just made up on the spot even though there are songs about coconuts in existence.

O coconut, O coconut
You are so white and…nutty.
O coconut, O coconut
In tea you are just yummy

Which is weird, because normally I hate coconut but I have three (3!) teas with coconut in them, which just makes me seem like a liar. SIGH.

Well ok, I mean, coconut cream pie, that’s pie! clearly it does not count.
And in thai chai…well there’s lots of other flavors in it and clearly you NEED coconut to make something thai-y.
and coconut pouchong…that’s coconut MILK which is different.

I win!

So, I still haven’t gotten around to trying this one with coconut milk, and I probably won’t. I think there’s only a cup’s worth left and I don’t think it’s worth repurchasing.

On one hand, I really enjoy it. The coconut is sweet and creamy, and the lemongrass is a nice lightening note. The ginger and cardamon add a nice chai spiced warming note. It’s a pretty nice coconut chai overall. On the other hand, I cannot possibly see myself drinking enough of this before the coconut goes suntan lotion flavored on me.

I did like it more this time, than last time (I think I added a touch more sugar this time; 1 tsp for 8 oz), but I’m not blown away.

Loves it!!!

I really took the time on Saturday evening to brew this correctly. The whole process took about 30 or so minutes. I had about 1 cup of cream that I added to the mix that made it superb! Diets aside, adding the rich cream was sooo good. The whole house smelled spicy and fall-y. After my husband’s initial, “you’re going to make me drink that, aren’t you?” he decided that he loved it. (I didn’t tell him it had coconut in it.)

On Sunday morning I awoke to the Thai Chai smell in the house again. I thought it might still be from the night before, but my husband crept into the bedroom with a breakfast tray of eggs in a pita pocket, a piece of homemade baklava, and the last rose from our garden. Oh yeah, and a huge steaming cup of Thai Chai for the both of us! He had snuck out of bed to start making the tea! He admitted that it was better with the cream added (he just used skim milk), but it tasted great to me because of all the thought he put into it.

As we lounged in bed eating breakfast and drinking our tea, he said to me, “Hey babe, I won’t give you a hard time if you order a much bigger bag of this stuff.” Yea!!! No more eye-rolling when he sees my tea orders!

I decided it was time to prepare this one made in a more traditional fashion. I used 1 cup skim milk, 1 cup water and 5 perfect teaspoons of Thai Chai (this was way too much….will try more like three next time.) Brought to a boil and simmered for about 4 or 5 minutes. Then strained and added sweetner (yes, I almost always use Splenda…mostly because I find Stevia a little bitter, and Equal gives me headaches…and real sugars are not ideal for me). It was incredibly good, and well worth the time it took to make it. I think I would even choose it over a small hot fudge sundae. Just what I needed…another pursuit in the realm of tea…..CHAI!

Does anyone know of some really good loose chais? I have bagged Indian Spice from Harney, but I am thinking loose would be better. I could probably live happily with more of this one…..

Backlog from the weekend
I received this in a swap, I feel it was from Alphakitty but it may be from will work for tea. I have so many teas from swaps and samples that I can’t keep track.

I’m not sure why I chose this, maybe because I love chais and its fall. I was suprised to see all the lemongrass but didn’t really notice the coconut. Hmmm this should be interesting.

This is deli ious, slightly lemony, chai like with the slightest hint of creamy coconut. This is so good. I’ve only tried a few teas from Adagio, most or all I have really like. This chai is almost tropical like.

Part of me was a little frightened that I would actually like this tea enough to cause me to actually put an order through with Adagio. I’m not sure whether I’m relieved or disappointed that it wasn’t.

Chai for me has become very much a drink that reads of warmth and comfort and that is what the base of this chai said to me. However, the lemongrass was just a little too dissonant for me. Lemongrass speaks to me of spring and summer and is a refreshing, clean taste. Chai does not. I was having trouble connecting the two in my mind. Part of me feels like it shouldn’t have difficult, because chocolate and mint are kind of in the same family of combination, but maybe it’s because chocolate and mint are so ubiquitous and I’ve gotten used to them.

Anyhow, it just wasn’t gelling. And then I got some coconut shooting through the taste and that was the clincher that made me decide I wouldn’t be ordering this again. I’m learning to like coconut [I am now in love with the macaroon], but coconut milk is still something I can’t quite cope with and that’s what I was reminded of when I tasted it in the chai. I have some hanging out in the fridge, so maybe it will make more sense to me chilled.

This is all splitting hairs and everything, because really it isn’t bad. The fnal verdict is that this is a good chai, but it’s not going to knock out any of the other ones I enjoy. I can see why people like it so much.

Second Breakfast Celebration (of finishing my taxes).
My daughter & grandson came, & we made Gingerbread almond flour pancakes, bacon, coconut whipped cream (OMG…it’s amazing!), a little drizzle of maple syrup, and it was awesome.

Ari picked this tea to go with our meal. I would have probably picked something plain & black, as a contrast to all the sweet creamy flavors, but this was pretty tasty. It is basically a coconut chai, & a tasty one at that! I didn’t get the full impact of the flavors, because I was already eating lots of coconut & spice flavors. There is enough left in the package to sample it without food next time.

holy chunky chai. uh-oh.
it looks really pretty! but it’s intensity makes me anxious.
i wanna try everything and anything once at least. usually even 2 or 3 times. even teas i hate.
i’m very moody and who knows how i’ll feel tomorrow. :)

i loved yesterday’s chai. didn’t think i would but i did.
so today’s chai…?
i did not leaf this tea as heavy as they recommend to. i can do that on the second cup. this first cup i played it a little safe i guess. and i’m glad i did. cuz i’m liking this chai too!
i really must have just had bad chai luck in my past. too heavily spiced with no finesse or balance. but this one is bright and yummy! i still have the urge to add cream and a little sugar to the cup. but not cuz i can’t enjoy it as is. just because when i think chai i think chai latte.
i should do a soymilk stove steep.
this tea is really so very pretty.
it brings a lot to the experience.

thank you TastyBrew yet again xo