Everyone should drink chai. Whenever, wherever, however, you can absolutely never go wrong with this absolutely delectable drink. When experienced people, like my mom, make this masterpiece of mankind, oooooh, your taste buds are in for a treat. And believe me, my mom makes the best chai ever, with all of her spices ground in our black mortar and pestle, their smells mixing in my clothes. That’s why whenever she makes chai, everyone in my house stops what they’re doing to claim one cup. 

I still remember my first cup of chai. Eleven year old me had finally been granted permission to take some sips, and this beautiful milk chocolate hued liquid completely and unequivocally made my day. Slurping it up in my white-tiled kitchen, my mom’s musical lilt echoing in summery daylight, remains the best memory I have of chai. That same year, my mom also taught me to make chai, so whenever I’m feeling down, this beverage gives me a free ride to cloud nine.

 And one last thing before we get started: homemade chai tops any rip-off chai tea latte you can find (I’m looking at you, Starbucks), and its real flavors with real sugar and not streams of golden synthetic syrup, (I’m looking at ya, again), make a wonderful drink to have at any time of day.

Rich and creamy like a custard, this drink is at the forefront of functioning societies, and, there’s so many spices within it, you would absolutely lose your mind trying to count them. Chai can be served anywhere and everywhere, from canteens in Indian colleges and homes, to even train stations. Being an easy to make drink, chai’s definitely worth making. And once you do have a drink, it pulls you in more and more, so close that you can’t even try to stop the realization occurring in your mind. You’re addicted. Nothing else to do. In fact, in my house alone, at least three giant cups of chai are consumed daily. May I remind you again that this beverage alone allows my parents to get to work everyday. Genuinely.

Chai’s Indian origins mean it has Indian ingredients. For example, cardamom. Think of it as a green, pistachio-like looking substance. When boiled with water, it releases a mouthwatering aroma akin to that of cotton candy. Another Indian spice: cloves. Now see, here’s one tip to note. NEVER, EVER, I repeat, EVER eat cloves or cardamom by themselves. You will throw up. Believe me, I’m speaking from experience. Obviously there are more spices involved in order to concoct chai, but for the sake of your sanity, I’ll stop here.

Picture this: a hot drink with steam enters your nostrils like a slight wind ruffles hair; different, but not aggressive. The light, delicate crust of malai (caramelized milk) floating on top, like foam on top of coffee, caramel swirl colored. A khushboo, (like my parents like to call it), of spices give each other a hug, a warm and cuddly blend of traditional Indian flavorings with a light sweetness from creamy milk that tastes like melted vanilla ice cream. Emerald green tea leaves dumped within it boiled to perfection, adding caffeine to the tea without its usual grapefruit-like taste.

I know, doesn’t this drink feel like a dream?

Anyway, there are many ways to drink chai, all of which include scrumptious and  scintillating experiences for your taste buds. My personal favorite way I have to recommend to you involves dipping some sort of cookie or biscuit into this mouthwatering mix until slightly mushy and about to snap off right into your cup. The result, you ask? A wonderful combination of a slightly sweet, slightly spicy tea paired with a sweet biscuit or cookie that keeps you at it until your entire cup is drained and leaves you yearning for one more.

If you somehow aren’t convinced yet, let me tell you there aren’t any right ways to make chai. You can add whatever you want to it depending on flavors you prefer, especially ingredients like saffron, (bright red like a shining ruby and shaped like a small strand of hair that has been stolen from someone), or even shehed, (honey in Hindi), which provides a rich sweetness to the concoction as well as thickens it. Drinking your chai with your own recipe will always reward you with a taste of home.

Obviously, I give homemade chai 5 out of 5 stars. Delectable, delicious, decadent, creamy, and most importantly, versatile. Who can resist? A refreshing beverage, and a great alternative to try for coffee. One that emphasizes sweetness without people putting six shots of synthetic sweeteners in it. Seriously, how do these people not get diabetes? Basically, you can keep your caffeine addiction without having to grab your wallet every morning and shake everything out of it. Believe me, you ain’t gonna get a sweeter deal than this. Take it. The more than one billion people living in India have! Because I swear, when I go to college, I’ll have a gauge in my heart where my daily intake of chai usually goes, and I will crawl my way home every break if it means I get to completely devour a wonderful and absolutely satiating cup of tea.

Tishya’s chai tea recipe: 

Obtain 1-glass of milk

Obtain 1-glass of water

1-small piece of ginger

1-tablespoon of crushed tea leaves

1-tablespoon of sugar

1 small pod of cardamom

Pour water into a pot, and when it starts to boil on low heat pour in one tablespoon of sugar and one tablespoon of tea leaves with some grated ginger and a pod of cardamom. Once it starts boiling, pour in the glass of milk. Then leave this mixture to boil on a slightly higher heat setting, and when it starts to boil, lower the heat to let the chai sink down. Repeat this process 3 times and the chai will be ready to go. To pour the chai into the cup, use a strainer to get rid of the leftover ingredients, and drink warm with some sweet biscuits.