Chai Tea

Well I went out and bought a tub of instant Chai latte. I must say I quite liked it. Interesting and a bit different. Glad I read this thread.

Sounds like an interesting change of drink. I'll investigate in our local supermarket. I did have it once in Bangladesh. It was all boiled up and not very nice. I had to drink two cups of it so as to be polite but I wouldn't like that sort again. However, I'm tempted by Parsley3's comment about it being a nice warming drink.

That explains a lot MissInterpreted
- interesting.

I think if you order chai tea in some cafes, it's made with a chai flavoured syrup rather than loose tea or teabags, so that makes it very sweet.

I also don't find chai tea sweet - though it would be if you put too much sugar or honey or other sweetener in.

I make mine with at least ½ milk so obviously sweeter than a black tea though - and the one I'm using at the moment has some honey already in it.

I have just discovered the Tea India range of chai and am enjoying a cup as I type this. I don't find it sweet. I add milk and I really like the spicy flavour. It is a lovely warming drink for a dreich day.

My friend loves it and always gets it when we all drink coffee. Me, I can’t stand it. Too sweet even without sugar.

I had it once but I really don't like it.

I've tried a few mixes and my favourite is Vadham's Original Chai blend. No sugar and the teeniest drop of skimmed milk /or not, as the mood takes me.
I started experimenting when my friend's husband who had Crohn's Disease said he found it a very soothing start to the day.

SeaWoozle that's how we made it in the 1970s - but with honey instead of sugar - when I was a student.
The "pre-mix" I use now has the spices and the black tea and honey in a jar and I dollop a teaspoon into milk and cook it as before.
It means I'm not tempted to make a gallon of it at once

I don’t like it

Was made some "real" chai tea a few years ago by a Syrian refugee. Hot milk, loose tea, loads of spices and lashings of sugar! Absolutely amazing 😍. Nothing has replicated it since.

I like chai tea as a change, no need to add sugar

I got into Drink me Chai vanilla latte, loved them. Yes, sweet, but it was my daily treat. Then local Tesco stopped selling it, Brexit, Covid etc and I stopped drinking it. I bought some last year, YUCK! My conclusion is that they have changed the recipe as it was pure cinnamon, vile, whereas before it was a hint of warmth.

Also tried one of those turmeric lattes, good grief, it was like slugging down a pot of turmeric powder! It made me heave!

YOGI Sweet Chai Tea bags, warming, will keep your sinuses clear, a wonderful infusion

I used to like the chai served in a local Indian restaurant after dinner. It was the only place I could get a nice cup of milky tea anywhere here in Germany. However, no Indian restaurants near here any more.

I do have a sachet of something called chai in the cupboard. I might try it later. It's probably over its sell-by date.

I use a spice "pre-mix" now with honey - but in the 1970s used regular tea with the addition of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. My friend also used nutmeg and ginger. I make chai tea maybe once every week or 10 days and yes, boil it up in a pan including the milk or have even put the whole lot in my milk frother if it was a totally milk version.

Thank you all for your interesting replies. I will experiment to find which I prefer.

I like chai latte in cafes.. also have twinings chai tea at home but prefer builders tea..

Yes the chai in India is cooked (and cooked )all together in a big pan. Very Sweet and milky
Imagine teabags bought here are completely different

Oh no thanks. Had it once, never again. Son loves it though.

I had Chai at a Dewali celebration (invited by a friend). They made it with a packet of pre made spice mix which they added to the tea along with milk and sugar in a sort of special saucepan.

It was very nice but I wouldn't want to drink more than one or two cups and I love tea.

I drink it it’s such a change from black tea I also like fruit teas and in the summer fresh mint tea from the garden.

I sometimes will have chai. Tetley makes a nice one, as does Twinings. I just make like normal tea. I don't use milk, just a little sugar.

If you're making a latte, then brew the tea a bit stronger because you add foamed milk.

We visited a tea plantation while we were there and bought back lovely rose and white tea.