Parsi Choi (Tea)
As many of you who have been with me since 2012 already know, I start each day, with a steaming hot fragrant cup of Chai or Indian tea. In this post, the flavorful cup of tea is a personal favorite called Parsi-style ‘Choi’ as pronounced by us Parsi folk. Choi is essentially infused with mint leaves and optionally lemongrass, along with fresh ginger root and cardamom.
This cuppa Choi has been kick-starting my mornings ever since I can remember; a tea I can prepare with my eyes shut (most mornings, I’m pretty sure I do just that!). And it makes a great pick-me-up during the afternoon slump on a workday.
Parsi ‘Choi’ or Chai, an Indian Tea Infused with Fresh Mint, Ginger and Lemongrass along with Cardamom
There are three key aspects to keep in mind while making Parsi ‘Choi’ or Chai-Indian Tea:
1. Brewing is an important step when it comes to making a perfect cup of tea, and even more so when the tea in question is any version of Indian Chai. The complex mix of spices, aromatics, herbs, milk, and tea leaves, all need to infuse together for a truly flavor-packed brew.
2. Parsi Choi’s use of lemongrass and mint brings a whole new dimension to the much-loved Indian Chai concept. Use lemongrass based on personal tastes, this strong Asian herb is best used sparingly. Mint, ginger, and cardamom also impart plenty of great taste to the Parsi Choi.
3. Ginger in a Chai offers anti-inflammatory and immunity-boosting properties and is known to help fight colds and open sinuses, especially at the start of a day. For a milder flavor, cut ginger into slices instead of grating it. Also worth noting is that Chai demands the use of ginger root and not ginger powder, which is a different flavoring.
Parsi Mint and Cardamon Choi (Chai)
Brewing and Boiling Are Key to Making
a Flavorful Cup of Indian Chai or Parsi ‘Choi’
Use the recipe in this post to make a cup of Parsi Choi tea from scratch. Or make your life simpler with my recently launched handcrafted blends of Chai Tea and one is them is the Parsi Choi. You can purchase it as part of the variety box or as a single pack in the shop.
The custom blends make your life simpler since everything you need, except milk and sugar, is part of the blend including black tea comprising of a mix of CTC and long leaves, along with freshly ground cardamom, dried ginger root, lemongrass, mint, and a touch of rose petals for fragrance.
Make Parsi Choi using my blend on the stovetop (video below). Or using an infuser, or make a Choi Latte, both videos can be found on this page.
