1. Bring 1 cup water to simmer and add 3 tsp of Kolkata Chai Chai Mix
2. Grate or mince a piece of fresh ginger into the boil (optional)
3. Bring to a rolling boil brew for 3 minutes and add 1 cup milk (or alternative milk) of your choice
4. Bring to boil, turn off heat
5. Cover and steep for 3 minutes. Strain, add sugar as needed

Cheers!

How to make an iced chai

While India is a tropical country, drinking iced chai is not a common phenomenon. That being said, when starting Kolkata Chai we wanted to push the culture forward and one of our first experiments was making a really good iced chai. 

Three years later, we can confirm that our iced chai is our best selling item and our hunches about it were right the whole time. Add a little extra sweetener to bring out the flavor of the spices and you won’t be disappointed. 

Here’s our fan-favorite iced chai recipe. 

Oat milk Iced Chai Recipe

Ingredients

Kolkata Chai Mix (6 tsp or 12 g)

Water (2 cup or 16 fl oz) 

Ice 

Milk (oat milk or whole milk) 

Sugar or Sweetener 

Fine Mesh Strainer

Instructions 

1. Bring 2 cups (16 oz) water to simmer in a pot  

2. Add 6 tsp (~12 g) chai & spice mix 

3. Rolling boil brew for 3 mins 

4. Add 2 cups (16 oz) milk of your choice (whole, oat, etc) 

5. Bring to boil and turn off heat 

6. Cover the pot and steep for 3 mins 

7. Strain into a container/cup and add sugar as needed 

9. Wait 10-15 minutes for the chai to cool down and then refrigerate for 15-20 minutes

10. Serve the cooled chai over ice and enjoy! 

How to Make a Vegan chai

So you want to enjoy chai but also avoid dairy products? Let’s make it happen. 

Vegan chai is absolutely delicious and easy to make. All you need for the best vegan chai are the right ingredients. 

With patience and the right mixes, all the steps in making a vegan chai at home are super easy. 

Vegan chai

Chai has traditionally always been made with some form of dairy – either cow’s or buffalo’s milk. There are accounts of a Dutchman named Jean Nieuhoff who had milk with tea at a soiree held by Emperor Shunzhi of China in 1655. Then there are the people of Tibet who have been known to add yak butter into their teas since the 10th century. 

In Europe, milk with tea became popular when it was served at a famous Parisian salon by Madame de la Sabliere in 1680. It then traveled throughout Europe and found its way to the British - who made it a daily habit and began adding milk and sugar. The rest is history.

Vegan chai is the easiest thing to make because all you need to do is to add your milk of choice. 

Alternative Milks

Oatmilk - This has the best consistency for chai and is the hands down winner

Almond - Definitely a solid number two choice and adds some nuttiness to the chai flavor

Coconut milk - We’ve heard great stories about this one but never tried it ourselves

Soy milk - Eh, you really want to stay away from this one but it work if there’s nothing else in the fridge

The key thing to remember is, when making a vegan chai with alternative milk, you’ll want to add an extra splash of it than what the recipe calls for to counter the inherent “thin” nature of alt milks. 

Vegan Chai Recipe

Bring 1 cup water to simmer and add 3 tsp of Kolkata Chai Chai Mix

Grate or mince a piece of fresh ginger into the boil (optional)

Bring to a rolling boil brew for 3 minutes and add 1 cup of your favorite alternative milk of your choice

Bring to boil, turn off heat

Cover and steep for 3 minutes. Strain, add sugar as needed

Chai is such a good gift that the term “chai paani’ is slang for a bribe in India. Can’t get that driver’s license? Give the instructor some chai paani and magically turn your horrific road test into a pass. (We may or may not know some people who’ve done this). 

Chai lovers

There’s a lot to love about chai. If you have someone in your life that orders chai regularly at their local cafe, a curated gift box of our critically acclaimed masala chai mix might do wonders.

Due to the chemical composition of Black tea, chai releases caffeine slower than other beverages like coffee. This leads to a smooth, sustained source of energy and why chai lovers will have multiple cups throughout the day.

Gift Sets

We all love a good gift and offer a few options for the people in your life, depending on their familiarity with chai. 

Looking to introduce someone to chai for the first time? Our “Starter Kit” comes with everything someone needs to make chai by themselves. Packed with our Signature Masala Chai Mix, a pack of Parle-G biscuits, and a handsome Kolkata Chai black/clay mug and a strainer, it’s got it going on.

For everyone else, including yourself, who needs to find some quiet moments, we would recommend “Treat Yourself Gift Box” for the ultimate self-care package. Filled with goodies beyond just our incredible chai mix, this is a no brainer for anyone who needs a little boost. 

Combination Packs

For those who just need chai and not the extras, our combo packs provide incredible value (and flavor!). The DIY Chai Mix - 2 Kit Combo Pack features both our classic masala and rose masala mix and has been our best seller for over two years now!

Our next most popular gift item is our DIY Chai mix + Mug Combination pack which features our fancy two-tone Black/Tan mug and signature chai mixes. 

Whether it’s for family, a gift for your coworkers for anyone in between, combine chai and a thoughtful gift message for the ultimate memories.