Little cups are irresistible, whether designed for tea or coffee. But who’s to say it can’t be used for tea? Evidently Ethiopians both grow and drink tea, which isn’t all that surprising since the country is located directly north of tea-producer Kenya. The land is fertile and amenable to tea as well as coffee plants.
According to them, tea (shay in Amharic, Ethiopia’s official working language) is grown year-round on both small- and large-scale gardens that are located in the forested highlands in the country’s south and southwest regions, where the 2100-meter elevation is ideal. Around 7000 tons are produced annually, with over half of that consumed within the country. Tea plants were introduced into Ethiopia in 1927 due to its increasing popularity, although the industry has struggled over the years with quality, insufficient research, weak marketing, and other issues.
In fact, an exhaustive report by Tilahun and colleagues identified a plethera of problems that still plague the country’s tea industry. Lack of skill and knowledge for tea growers (79.3%), lack of training and extension service (90.3%), the occurrence of disease and pests (79.6%), climate variability (85.2%), lack [of] credit access (59.7%), low productivity (88%), low output price (90.6%) with high input price (68.1%). They follow that up with a list of additional factors such as marketing problems, insufficient processing facilities, low and fluctuating output price, and so on.
Tea plantations in Ethiopia
Currently, tea leaves-two leaves and the bud-are hand plucked and the bud sets put into bamboo baskets that the workers (primarily women) carry on their backs. For green tea, the leaves are simply dried; for black tea, they are first oxidized. Whole or ground cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg are commonly listed in the recipes I found online, with a sweetener optional. Unlike chai, however, milk is never added.
Read also: Exploring Ethiopian Spices
I followed the recipe from The Brew Project, bringing 16 ounces of water, 14 whole cloves, 7 whole cardamom pods, and 2.5 inches of cinnamon stick to a boil in a pot on the stove. The aroma of the very dark red-brown liquor is heavily cinnamon, although the cardamom and clove do come through. Having selected a robust black tea, the tea holds its own to the spices. And my little cup? It’s a coffee cup, depicting the traditional story of Queen Sheba traveling from Ethiopia to visit King Solomon.
Spice Up Your Life: How to Make Authentic Ethiopian Tea!
Homemade Masala Chai: A Symphony of Spices
This homemade masala chai tea is a big hit at our house. We make our own spice blend by coarsely crushing fresh spices we pick up at the local bulk store. This is not an instant powder chai tea mix. This is the real deal made with fresh, whole spices. We keep our blend of chai spices, called karha, and the tea separate so we can vary the tea variety and steep it just the way we want.
Key spices for Masala Chai
On most occasions we use whatever black tea is in the house, but if we want to go caffeine free we reach for the Rooibos.
Read also: Ethiopian Cuisine: Philadelphia Guide
The Perfect Karha Blend
Our karha includes cinnamon sticks, cloves, coriander seeds, allspice, ginger, peppercorns, green cardamom pods and star anise. These are fairly common ingredients in any masala chai mix. The green cardamom is the star of the show and a must have in chai. Star anise adds a hint of licorice flavor and is sometimes replaced by fennel seeds or licorice root. The black peppercorn and allspice add a spicy bite (choose one or the other if you prefer chai less spicy). Cloves with their strong musty flavor are another staple in chai. The coriander seeds add a little sweetness - I like adding them because they’re from our garden.
A delicious blend of spices for the perfect cup of masala chai. Use mortar and pestle or rolling pin and dish towel to crack seeds and break spices to allow them to release their flavor more easily. No need to crush them too fine. Place in a tight sealing jar. Store out of direct sunlight and use within 3 to 6 months. Makes about 2 cups of mix or 30 cups (1 Tbsp/cup).
Brewing Instructions
Brewing Tea for Two
In a small pot, add 1-2 Tbsp of chai tea spice blend depending on how intensely flavored and spicy you like your chai tea. Toast spices on medium heat for 1 minute until aromatic. Add milk and water. Simmer for 15 minutes to allow flavors to infuse into milk and water. Remove pot from heat.
To enjoy quick and easy chai tea all week, double or triple the brewing recipe. Once brewing is finished, pour the tea through a strainer into large mason jar with lid. Store in fridge for 4-5 days. In small pot on medium heat, toast chai tea spices for 1 minute. Add milk and water. Simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat. Add black tea bags and steep for 3 minutes or longer. Remove tea bags and add honey to taste.
Read also: Authentic Ethiopian Cuisine
Want to enjoy several cups throughout the week? Triple or quadruple the recipe. Pour the extras into glass mason jars through a fine mesh strainer. Seal and store for 4-5 days in the fridge. Reheat as needed.
Masala Chai preparation
Chai vs. Masala Chai: What's the Difference?
Did you know that the word chai means tea in several languages? So when we say chai tea we’re really saying “tea tea”. Technically, I should say masala chai, which literally means - mixed spice tea. Discuss among yourself as you’re sipping on a lovely cup of chai tea!
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Experiences and Testimonials
What a soothing cup of tea this was. And I have spices left over for more. Wow - this tea packs a delicious punch! I love ginger, so after letting it steep as directed, I muddled the ginger before straining the tea. OM Gosh - so good! I did sweeten with a tad of honey. I bet this would be really good iced, too!
What a lovely cup of tea. I love spices in my drinks and this excellent recipe does not disappoint. It was hot and spicy, so good. I did add some honey to help bring out all the beautiful spices. This was quick and easy to make. Thanks so much for sharing.
What a lovely tea! It is a clear light mahogany colour and the spices are well balanced giving a delightful sip. I made two cups and happy I did. Thank you for sharing this wonderful tea Nat.
-Tilahun, Y., et al., “Tea out-grower production . . .,” Sarhad Journal of Agriculture 38(1):295-311.
