Warm up with Elchi Chai Shop’s masala chai
Just as coffee terminology has been muddled with made-up words like Frappuccino or misleading terms like “venti” which actually means 20 in Italian and not “extra large Starbucks drink,” misconceptions surrounding chai have come up as it became more popular in the West.
For one thing, it’s not called chai tea, say sisters Sukaina and Sayyeda Ebrahim, owners of Elchi Chai Shop that opened six months ago at Harbord and Major Sts. and serves hot chai and parathas made from their mom’s recipe. As temperatures start to dip, the two are on a mission to make chai as ubiquitous as coffee in Toronto and educate tea drinkers on their beloved childhood drink.
“Chai means tea in Hindi, so when you say ‘chai tea’ you’re actually saying ‘tea tea,’ ” Sukaina says. “A chai latte is basically chai, but the milk is steamed like in an Italian latte rather than boiled.”
When people in the West think of chai, they’re usually thinking of masala chai. It contains warm spices such as cardamom, ginger, cloves and pepper. Masala is the catch-all term for spice blends in South Asian cooking.
The sisters, who grew up in Brampton, named the shop in the language of their great-grandfather whose homeland was the Indian state of Gujarat. Elchi is the Gujarati word for cardamom. He moved to Tan- zania where chai has been a popular drink since Indian traders arrived on the Swahili coast in the 19th century.
The chai that the sisters have been drinking since they were kids has a strong punch of spice and is not overly sweet, which is why they have customers add the sugar at the shop.
“Chai should be a strong drink, rather than a syrupy milk drink with light spices,” Sukaina says. “You can get it in tea bags, but steeping the tea in hot water doesn’t bring out the spices as well as if you boil it with the tea.”
Elchi Chai Shop’s Masala Chai
Star Tested The sisters make gallons of chai at their shop, so this version is scaled down for tea for two. This chai doesn’t hold back when it comes to spice, which is perfect for the cold and dreary days of November. If you prefer a milder chai, start with 1 teaspoon (5 mL) fresh ginger. The sis- ters prefer the creamy taste of evaporated milk, but you can substitute with other milks. 4 green cardamom pods 2 cloves 4 black peppercorns 1L (4 cups) water 1 tsp (5 mL) ground ginger 2 tsp (10 mL) minced fresh ginger 4tsp (60 mL) loose English Breakfast tea leaves 1/4 cup (60 mL) evaporated milk Granulated sugar, to taste Using a mortar and pestle or flat side of a large knife, crush cardamom, cloves and peppercorn. Put in medium-sized saucepan. Add water, ground ginger and fresh ginger. Stir. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Add tea leaves. Continue to boil for1minute. Add milk. Boil for 2 minutes. Turn heat to low, simmer for 3 minutes. Strain into cups. Stir in sugar to taste. Makes 2 to 4 servings. karonliu@thestar.ca