Vegan Chai

Vegan Chai is an allergy friendly twist on my family’s traditional Pakistani chai recipe that I learned to make from my mom. Tips are included for making the creamiest Vegan Chai. 

Vegan Chai is part of our series “Flavors of Culture”

The perfect cup of vegan chai

Chai is one of my all-time favorite beverages. It is a special drink meant to be shared with family and friends. Growing up, there was always a pot brewing in my house. 

There is an art to learning how to make the perfect cup of chai although, in my opinion, it has less to do with ingredients and more to do with the method of preparing it. 

Making chai at home is not meant to be complicated. Although it can seem intimidating, it is easier than you think! You can adapt traditional chai and make your very own vegan chai, without compromising taste or quality.

Simply chai

Chai literally means tea. Many people in North America associate chai as a flavor like in a chai spiced latte but this is a Starbucks invention.  Often I hear people refer to chai as “chai tea” but essentially you are saying tea tea.  The correct term to use is simply chai!

What is chai?

Although there are variations with method and ingredients, chai is usually prepared with black tea, water, milk and spices. Chai is boiled multiple times, simmered and strained to create a creamy delicious beverage. 

The Flavors of Vegan Chai

In Pakistan, where my parents grew up, chai is made with whole green cardamom pods and in other South Asian countries such as India, masala chai is common. 

spices

Masala means spices and the combinations vary based on region, family and personal preferences. Masala chai can be made with whole or ground spices, which include but are not limited to, cardamom, cloves, ginger and cinnamon. Some people like to add black pepper, star anise, nutmeg and even fennel.

Today there are many store-bought blends on the market, but my preference is to use whole spices for the freshest taste. Using whole spices and creating my own blend is also more allergy safe for my family.

tea

Chai is commonly made with black tea such as Assam, Darjeeling or English Breakfast.

In my home, we use black tea bags to get that authentic chai flavor. Tea bags are associated with a lesser quality processed tea but I believe the taste can’t be beaten.  If you prefer to use a higher quality loose leaf tea, be aware that you will get a slightly different taste.

milk or mylk?

Typically, chai is made with full fat or two percent cow’s milk. Chai traditionalists will swear that whole milk is best to develop the creamiest consistency. 

However, with food allergies on the rise, plant-based mylk (or milk) makes a nice alternative for an inclusive chai. 

I find that some plant based mylks separate when boiled so my preferred choice is oat mylk because it holds up well and creates a full-bodied vegan chai. On the other hand, if oat mylk is not an option, soy and coconut mylk are a few other favorites.

For more on whether to call it milk or mylk, check out our episode on the Itch Podcast: Using Inclusive Language When Talking about Food Allergens.

sweetener

Chai is sweetened with sugar and a lot of it. I like my chai without sweetener. Some people believe that adding sugar brings out the flavors of spices so go for it if you want to zest it up! 

I love to use date syrup or a splash of maple syrup to make it refined sugar-free.

My reimagined recipe for Vegan Chai

To sum up, Chai is a celebratory or anytime drink.  My family’s Pakistani chai recipe made with oat milk is a version that even pleases my mom. You can share this vegan chai with family and friends!

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Tools to make Vegan Chai

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Treats to serve with Vegan Chai

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