Dirty Chai: Take a sip of this hot new beverage

Our favourite cuppa never ceases to evolve. Talking of the latest, India’s much-loved beverage, tea, gets a ‘dirty’ twist. #DirtyChai has been trending on social media lately, with tea addicts relishing yet another avatar of their caffeine fix.

“I would describe ‘dirty chai’ as a combination of tea and coffee, ensuring a goodness of both. It can work wonders in terms of keeping one relaxed through a hectic day,” says Sandeep Kalra, Executive Chef at a hotel in Bengaluru.This chai is said to bring in the goodness of both worlds in your cup, with a dash of aromatic spices. For Chef Sandeep, the trick is to dry roast and ground the , and store them in an air-tight jar. His mix includes cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon sticks and a few strands of saffron.

Commenting on whether or not ‘dirty chai’ is good for health, health coach and nutritionist Preety Tyagi says, “This new blend is basically with an espresso shot added to it. Separately, both these varieties contain high amounts of caffeine, and the new concoction makes it double. Mostly consumed to help stay energised, ‘dirty chai’ cannot really be considered a health drink. Having said that, the spice mix added in the tea can help in keeping the stomach clear as well as improve digestion. The cinnamon and cardamom are also good for our oral and gut health. However, I would advise having this tea in small amounts only.”


2 tbsp green cardamom
¾ nutmeg
1 ½ tsp cloves
1 ½ tsp black pepper
6 large cinnamon sticks
1/4 tsp saffron

Make your regular milk tea with about 30 gm of ground ginger, around 10 freshly plucked leaves and a little sugar. Before straining the tea, add half a teaspoon of this in the strainer. You get a smoother tea. To this, add a 60 ml shot of coffee powder (1/4 tsp + 60 ml water). Alternatively, you can add 30 ml of Italian espresso. Top it up with milk froth. Milk dissolved with a little condensed milk works even better. Enjoy you ‘dirty chai’ in a 300 ml glass mug.

To make ‘dirty chai latte’ at home, brew 8 ounces of strong black tea for 3-5 minutes in boiling water with a tea bag or 1-2 teaspoons of tea leaves. Add 1 or 2 shots of espresso and 1-2 tablespoons of chai masala, heat milk and add it to your taste. Sprinkle a little cinnamon on top, if desired.