tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-562361697335714312011-07-08T05:05:09.931-04:00Experimentations with a centuries-old drinkRavi Desaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03118132049450468154noreply@blogger.comBlogger101100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56236169733571431.post-59323064863302826312011-04-17T12:29:00.016-04:002011-04-18T18:06:54.117-04:00

Thanks for visiting! It's been some time since I've updated the site, so I've changed the design as I delve into some fresh topics.Today I'm going to experiment a bit with ginger. Ginger is the rhizome of the plant, Zingiber Officinale. The plant's name may derive from the Sanskrit word "singabera" which means "horn shaped," and with just a little imagination describes ginger's shape. Indeed,

Ravi Desaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03118132049450468154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56236169733571431.post-23494434975225624662009-10-11T23:03:00.003-04:002009-10-11T23:33:04.791-04:00

Shruti began her new job this past week! This once again highlights the problem of how to make good chai in the office. Previously, I suggested a technique for making chai in a way that doesn't require a mug strainer. However, most people's work places have neither a mug strainer nor a stove top. Fortunately, microwaves can partially obviate the need for a stove top. Hence, use of a microwave

Ravi Desaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03118132049450468154noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56236169733571431.post-87110738301749056892009-10-04T21:12:00.007-04:002009-10-04T22:03:14.766-04:00

One cool thing about chai is that it's easy to scale up: I make 2 servings every morning (for Shruti and I), and the wonderful staff at the Crowne Plaza Hotel made 300+ servings for our wedding. The method is virtually the same regardless of the number of servings.Hence, when our lab had our annual retreat last week, it was pretty simple to make 20 servings of chai to caffeinate the lab and spur

Ravi Desaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03118132049450468154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56236169733571431.post-78262075211248472092009-09-26T23:13:00.012-04:002009-09-27T00:16:19.175-04:00

It's been a little while since my last post. And by a "little while" I mean 12+ months.Thank you thank you thank you for sticking with me (or reading this blog for the first time!).Rest assured that my absence is NOT due to a lack of interest in chai - I've experimented with and made chai the vast majority of days over the past year. A few very welcome events partially explain my absence. Yet, I

Ravi Desaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03118132049450468154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56236169733571431.post-78588349100522500462008-09-01T01:04:00.008-04:002008-09-02T08:50:31.192-04:00

For those of you who, like me, are perhaps too easily excited by 1) cooking things over a real fire, and 2) brewing and drinking chai, making chai over a campfire should be nearly irresistible.As you know, building a campfire in the morning is a calming yet consuming ritual in itself; add to it making chai and the resulting post-camp morning experience is difficult to top.The only departures I

Ravi Desaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03118132049450468154noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56236169733571431.post-13538484098731862562008-08-24T23:14:00.002-04:002008-08-24T23:19:35.529-04:00

One of the most frustrating things about making iced chai is that I usually make it at night. Which is fine, except it takes extreme self-restraint not to consume the hot, aromatic chai and instead put it in the depths of the fridge to chill overnight. So the other night after I made a pot of hot chai I splashed a few teaspoons on a couple scoops of Breyer's Natural Vanilla that I was having at

Ravi Desaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03118132049450468154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56236169733571431.post-71990876837687726152008-08-17T12:03:00.020-04:002008-08-18T09:55:01.371-04:00

Last time, I gave a recipe for making iced chai that is very similar to the basic chai recipe. Two ideas emerged from this initial trial.The first was to add more masala since spiceiness seemed to be masked by the cool temperature of the drink. I suspect spice-masking at chilled temperatures may occur for two reasons: 1) Any spice grounds that eek their way through the mug strainer settle during

Ravi Desaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03118132049450468154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56236169733571431.post-37419779943675531942008-08-06T18:31:00.010-04:002008-08-07T21:36:39.258-04:00

If you Google "iced chai", a surprising dearth of recipes turn up. But seeing as how it's been approximately 451 degrees (yes, Fahrenheit) in Philly this summer, iced chai at this time of year is especially desirable. Therefore, I'll be experimenting with iced chai over the next couple weeks and hope to converge, with your help, on a good recipe.Imagining that ice cubes would dilute the iced chai

Ravi Desaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03118132049450468154noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56236169733571431.post-82108373894637980402008-08-01T00:26:00.009-04:002008-08-03T21:50:08.546-04:00

Although basic masala chai may not at first appear amenable to daily making, if you have the right components on hand, it really is. While all of the topics below can be expounded greatly upon, I describe essentials to help you get started making a daily cup of chai.MilkUse anything from fat-free to whole milk.MasalaThis may be the most intimidating part of chai. Indeed, obtaining spices can be a

Ravi Desaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03118132049450468154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56236169733571431.post-22100840535841317652008-07-24T00:41:00.008-04:002008-09-02T08:44:13.241-04:00

Welcome to Chaientist! If you're reading this, you probably know Ravi, are wondering "what-ist???", or perhaps both. In any case, you'll find in this blog Ravi's experimentations with and variations on a centuries-old (at least... that's a debate for another time) drink: chai. And, when the experimenting goes well, you'll find recipes posted here for your own modifications.Being a miserly grad

Ravi Desaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03118132049450468154noreply@blogger.com10