Chai is one of my favorite drinks; most definitely this Dirty Chocolate Chai. I have a sweet tooth, and the typical blend of tea, milk, cardamom and sugar is like having a luxurious, rich dessert. Add chocolate, and it becomes an even creamier smooth sensation. In America, we typically say, “chai tea,” however; “chai” in Hindi actually translates to tea. In India, it’s pervasive and isn’t considered a specialty tea at all – it’s the standard method of preparation.
The Origins of Chai
Food & Wine wrote a fascinating article on the origins and traditions around chai, which came to be during the British colonization of India, when the native people adapted traditional English preparation methods by adding exotic spices – at least exotic by that day’s standards. We’ve come to embrace them in our modern kitchens: ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
This recipe for Dirty Chocolate Chai comes to us from TCHO, the Berkley-based ethically sourced chocolate company, from which we’ve already featured a couple of recipes. We recently received a variety of chocolate samples, both ready-to-eat bars, and packaged “Bites.” I’ve found it very hard to share with my colleagues, but they’ve worn me down and we’re currently tasting and evaluating our favorites to share in a future story.
Chef Nathan Lyon, celebrity chef and cookbook author, as well as the Sustainable Seafood Ambassador for the Monterey Bay Aquarium, is responsible for this Dirty Chocolate Chai drink, made with TCHO Drinking Chocolate, which he says is “the bomb.” His new cookbook, Great Food Starts Fresh, is available on Amazon.
You can find the TCHO Chocolate used in this recipe here.
You must be logged in to post a comment.