The first time I had masala chai, and I mean real masala chai, was in a Calcutta gully behind a Durga Puja Pandal celebrating women's handicrafts as I felt the soft drops of the slow drizzle. The chai wallah poured us cups as we huddled under the foot-wide awning of his stall. The tea didn't taste watery, or overly sweet. Rather, the beverage was thick, with a sharp note of spicy ginger, backed with the warm black tea only slightly diluted by the earthy clay of the cup.
A Chai Wallah in Calcutta. Photo by Goutam Roy for Al Jazeera English - A Kolkata voter
Since then, I have had masala chai on roadsides and alleyways from Bombay to Bhikangon. But it has never had quite the same bite or aromatic zing as that first cup on a rainy Durga Puja night.
Until now.
Today, Mana Organics is excited to announce the launch of our Organic Masala Chai. And its even better than that first cup I had in Calcutta!
To make Mana's masala chai we have perfectly balanced six whole Indian spices. From aromatic cinnamon, black pepper, and ginger, to exotic cardamom and clove, and even rare staranise. Together, these spices create the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and savory that will delight all your sense. From the visual,
To the smell and taste.
All these spices come from India and are grown by small farmers. Farmers that Mana Organics works with to bring fair prices and technical support in converting to organic. As demand for our masala chai grows, we hope to expand our organic small grower network.
The tea comes from the organic gardens of our partner tea estate, Chota Tingrai. We have used CTC tea for our masala chai, the same make that is traditionally used by the chai wallahs. CTC's bold tea taste will not succumb to the flavors of the spices. This creates a true chai taste, as opposed to a spiced milk taste one so often finds in masala chai outside of India.
We recommend two ways of brewing our masala chai.
Authentic Indian-Style:
- Add 1 full teaspoon (3 g) of Mana Organics Masala Chai to a saucepan of boiling water (150 ml per serving).
- Add milk and sugar as desired to saucepan.
- Simmer for 2 – 3 minutes.
- Strain and serve. Enjoy!
Or American Style:
- Add 1 full teaspoon (3 g) of Mana Organics Masala Chai to your favor pot or infuser.
- Pour boiling water (150 ml per serving) over tea.
- Steep for 4 – 5 minutes. Remove tea.
- Add sugar and warmed milk to taste. Enjoy!
While American-style brewing makes a great cup of tea, we strongly recommend you give Indian-style brewing a try.
We only have a dozen units in this first batch of our Mana Organics Masala Chai. Pick yours up today!