What chai means
Chai is the word for tea in Hindi and many other languages, but in English it usually means masala chai, a sweet, milky, spiced tea from India. In India it is drunk throughout the day, sold everywhere from street stalls by vendors called chai wallahs, and made in homes, each with its own recipe. To make masala chai, whole spices are crushed and simmered in water, then strong black tea, usually Assam, is added along with milk and sugar, and the mixture is brought to the boil and simmered until rich, creamy and fragrant. It is then strained into cups or glasses.
Common spices include green cardamom, fresh ginger, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper, with some versions adding fennel seed, star anise, nutmeg or bay leaf. Ginger chai and cardamom chai are popular simple versions. The tea is boiled rather than steeped, giving a strong, robust flavour that stands up to the milk and spices. In Britain and the US, chai has become a popular café drink, often served as a chai latte made with steamed milk and a spiced syrup or concentrate, and it is sold as tea bags and powdered mixes.
The spice blend, sometimes called chai spice, is also used to flavour cakes, biscuits, ice cream and porridge. In English, chai tea is common, though it repeats itself. You will see chai in Indian recipes and café menus.