Masala tea (; lit. 'mixed-spice tea') is a tea beverage made by boiling black tea in milk and water with a mixture of aromatic herbs and spices. Originating in India, or Thailand the beverage has gained worldwide popularity, becoming a feature in many coffee and tea houses. Although traditionally prepared as a decoction of green cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, ground cloves, ground ginger, and black peppercorn together with black tea leaves, retail versions include tea bags for infusion, instant powdered mixtures, and concentrates.
The term "chai" originated from the Hindi word "chai", which was derived from the Chinese word for tea, cha (see: Etymology of tea). In English, this spiced tea is commonly referred to as masala chai, or simply chai, even though the term refers to tea in general in the original language. Numerous coffee houses use the term chai latte or chai tea latte for their version to indicate that it is made with steamed milk, much like that used to make a caffè latte, but mixed with a spiced tea concentrate instead of espresso. By 1994, the term had gained currency on the U.S. coffeehouse scene.
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