Masala chai (literally "spiced tea") is a beverage from the Indian subcontinent made by brewing tea with a mixture of aromatic Indian spices and herbs.
A tea's type is determined by the processing which it undergoes. Leaves of Camellia sinensis soon begin to wilt and oxidize, if not dried quickly after picking. The leaves turn progressively darker as their chlorophyll breaks down and tannins are released. This process, enzymatic oxidation, is called fermentation in the tea industry. Fermentation can be either aerobic or anaerobic, and is sometimes mistakenly believed to necessitate the involvement of bacteria. In fact, fermenting agents can be yeast, bacteria, or even only enzymatic (such as your muscles under heavy exercise). Most of the darkening of tea is believed to be because of enzymatic oxidationWithout careful moisture and temperature control during manufacture and packaging, the tea will grow fungi.
Tea is traditionally classified based on the techniques with which it is produced and processed.
- White tea: Wilted and unoxidized
- Yellow tea: Unwilted and unoxidized, but allowed to yellow
- Green tea: Unwilted and unoxidized
- Oolong: Wilted, bruised, and partially oxidized
- Black tea: Wilted, sometimes crushed, and fully oxidized
- Post-fermented tea: Green tea that has been allowed to ferment/compost Tea plants are native to East and South Asia and probably originated around the point of confluence of the lands of northeast India, north Burma, southwest China, and Tibet. Although tales exist in regards to the beginnings of tea being used as a beverage, no one is sure of its exact origins. The usage of tea as a beverage was first recorded in China, with the earliest records of tea consumption with records dating back to the 10th century BC. It was already a common drink during Qin Dynasty (around 200 BC) and became widely popular during Tang Dynasty, when it was spread to Korea and Japan. Trade of tea by the Chinese to Western nations in the 19th century spread tea and the tea plant to numerous locations around the world.
