Creamy, Strong Chai: Karak Chai

Here in the U.S., when we hear the word "chai," we think of tea prepared with some sort of spice component. The thing is, on the Indian Subcontinent, the word "chai" simply means "tea." This chai is different from what most people would think of as "regular" chai; that is, "spiced tea" (masala chai) on the Indian Subcontinent, or at your local cafe down the street,* as it is a stronger brew of tea (with higher caffeine content), which is the actual meaning of "karak chai" (also "kadak"), "strong tea." It is common in India, Pakistan, the Gulf region of the Middle East (brought there by Indian immigrants), especially in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, but there are variations in recipes. This tea uses a rather high proportion of whole milk or evaporated milk, which makes it thick and creamy, and it tends to be modestly flavored by some spices, but it is cooked for a somewhat longer time. "Karak chai" is generally something of a tan color up to something more of a brown or an orangish brown color. Some add a few saffron threads, but this addition is far more common in the Gulf region of the Middle East. 

 

Ingredients (4 servings):

 

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) water

5 teaspoons black tea

4 or 5 teaspoons sugar 

1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

3 whole cloves

1 1/2 inch cinnamon stick

4 crushed cardamom pods

2 slightly crushed whole peppercorns  

(optional) good pinch of saffron threads

Add the water to a pot/pan over medium heat and bring to a boil, then adjust the heat to maintain a steady gentle simmer. Add the cloves, crushed cardamom, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, sliced ginger,  and, if using, saffron threads; simmer for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the tea and stir and keep stirring at a light, steady pace as the tea simmers; about another 3 minutes. Add the milk and sugar, stir further to mix and to dissolve the sugar. When the tea is heated again, strain it into individual cups. Note: This tea is supposed to be sweet, but you can add sugar to the pan in some basic amount, but then have the sugar bowl nearby for those who like their chai sweeter. 

 

 

* For "chai," here is the link:  https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2016/08/chai-pronounced-like-cheye.html

 

 

WORD HISTORY:

Mere-There are noun forms of the same spelling, but this is the adjective (and the derived adverb, "merely"), and the noun forms are unrelated to the adjective. The origin of this word is uncertain, but it seems to go back to Indo European "merh-o,"^ which meant "remaining (the same);" thus, "pure, unaltered." This gave Latin "merus" (via Italic "mero"), meaning "unaltered, unmixed, pure;" thus also, "real."^^ This gave Latin-based Old French "mier," also meaning "pure;" thus also, "total, complete," and English borrowed the word in the latter part of the 1300s, initially with the meaning "pure, clear (of sound), unaltered," and then "absolute, sheer;" thus, "simply, only." The adverb "merely" developed in the mid 1400s meaning "of nothing more, only, solely."     

^ Some believe "mere" goes back to Indo European "mer," meaning "gleaming, shining," but I'm not convinced.

 

^^ See "Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages" (Volume 7 of the Leiden Indo-European Etymological Series, by Michiel de Vaan, Brill (Publishing), Leiden (Netherlands), Boston (U.S.), 2008.