No-MOO BREW

Moo and moo people are giving up using dairy in everyday cooking, and why not when the world has come up with so many alternatives to animal milk. We have been showing you guys how to make vegan chai on Instagram highlights since forever and we thought we should do a post on different kinds of plant-based milk chai in time for World Plant Milk Day 2020. 
In Other Moos: Almost sixty five percent of human population has a reduced ability to digest lactose after infancy. 
We understand that for the #oldschool chai lovers, it can seem daunting and even repulsive to try a dairy-free chai, but we wanted to make sure you're not left udderly confused in the world of vegan milk so we tried several recipes combining different types of chai with plant-based milk. 

We want to assure you that nut milk sounds bad but tastes rad. Here are some combinations of chai and plant-based milk. 

Our favorite plant-based milk for Sanyukta Bharatam (Classic Masala) is Full-Fat Oat Milk.
It blends beautifully, gently soothing the warm spy undertones of the masala and the malty flavor of the chai, creating the perfect balance of creamy texture for this gingery blend.  

Oat milk is slightly sweet, with a medium consistency. Though it is higher in calories because of higher carbohydrates and sugars than almond milk or soy milk, it has more protein and fiber than most plant-based milk. This helps regulate digestion. This milk may not be the best choice for people with diabetes so if you want to try something with lower sugar and carbs, try using almond milk. 

Astrakadir (Black tea, Rose & Cardamom blend) Tastes best with soy milk.  
This floral blend has a slight hint of spice and it's own nuttiness from cardamom. It tastes delightful with the nutty soy milk. Around fifteen years back, soy milk was my gateway vegan milk. It has the most nutritional similarities to cow's milk and continues to be the most popular milk alternative so far. It is a good source of calcium and protein and has a moderate amount of calories. Soya milk has compounds called isoflavones and phytosterols, these can lower the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis. You can even make a fancy topping to your cup of Astrakadir by adding some frothy soy milk a few rose petals and a dash of cardamom.  

For a special flavor try using rose soy milk or vanilla soy milk for this chai. 

Mangalyam (Marigold & Lavender blend) blends beautifully with coconut milk.
Coconut milk adds sweetness to the herbaceous and floral aroma but does not overpower the sweet lavender & alluring marigold.
Usually, coconut milk contains a combination of thin and thick milk. Thinned coconut milk still adds creaminess to chai without making it feel too heavy. It’s easy to make your own coconut milk at home, and this gives you the benefit of adjusting the thickness to your liking, but if you want to spare the fuss just head over to your nearest grocery store and buy some coconut milk from the dairy section 

Tea'p: Do not confuse coconut milk from the milk section with coconut cream or coconut milk from the cooking section. The milk is usually thinner and comes in milk-like tetra cartons whereas the cooking variant comes in cans. 

Sugrisma (Summer masala chai) tastes great with hazelnut or macadamia milk. 
This "happy accident" blend has the best components of masala chai and iced chai. Because it is nutty and spicy, the flavor of hazelnut or macadamia nut milk only enhances its taste. We like it best chilled but you can also drink it hot with a sweet treat on the side. This chai has an internal cooling effect on the heated senses of summer which was the inspiration behind this blend. So sip and enjoy the flavors of Sugrisma. 
Macadamia nut milk is relatively new in the world of plant-based milk. It is lower in calories than oat milk but also has lower protein and carbohydrates. Generally, this milk pairs well with sweeter beverages. 

Compared to other nut kinds of milk, hazelnut milk is heavier in calories and contains lesser protein but it does contain some fibre, which can aid digestion and lower cholesterol. It also has a delicious nutty flavor, which makes it a great choice for the sweet delicious chilled summer masala chai.  

This is The Chai Bar Original Blend and you can drink it with any plant-based milk on the market. The chai itself has bold & malty headnotes that won't get easily overpowered by plant-based milk. The full-bodied earthiness and lasting "chai" flavor will shine no matter which milk you add. With Astitva, you can try-

Almond Milk 
Personally, this is my preferred milk for hot chai, it has a mild and nutty taste adding an almost savory element to the tea. Some say it doesn't blend well with a hot beverage but the secret is to do a "slow pour" into boiling chai water and drink this chai while it's still hot, reheating may cause the milk to separate. 

Nutritionally, almond milk has fewer calories and much less protein than soy or oat milk. The small amount of fat in almond milk is healthy unsaturated fat. Almond milk is easy to make at home, it is a good source of calcium and contains powerful antioxidants. 

Hemp Milk 
This milk is lower in carbohydrates but higher in healthy unsaturated fat.

Like most plant-based milk, it has a slightly nutty taste. "A single glass of hemp milk can provide 50% of the recommended daily intake of alpha-linolenic acid, the omega-3 fatty acid, which helps support good heart and brain function." 

Rice Milk 

This nut and gluten-free milk is unlikely to cause food allergies. It has a naturally sweet taste and low calories from carbohydrates it has very little protein and fat too. It is rather thin milk so it needs a fair amount of boiling with chai, you might want to start off with lesser water than you usually would and pour in this milk sooner in the chai making process. The milk won't give the chai a thick consistency or add any creaminess. The chai will be sort of between black tea and milk chai. 

Spelt Milk 
This milk is moderate in calories and low in protein, it does contain gluten and is not suitable for anyone with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. It has a rather sweet taste, even without added sugar, and serves as a natural sweetener, for chai.
 
Cashew Milk

This milk is great for cooking curries, baking, and dessert. It is a good choice for people with diabetes because it has unsaturated fat. However this milk is thicker and the heat of chai making causes it to acquire a unique texture that might feel too different, so if you opt for cashew milk, we would encourage you to add it to an iced chai like Sugrisma or Mangalyam chilled chai (Checkout the CHILLED CHAI BLOG POST

NO MOO BREW TEA'PS: 

  • Make sure to try different plant-based milk with different kinds of chai for at least a solid three tries, remember this is not a copy of animal milk it is a plant-based replacement. 
  • Since making chai involves bringing the milk and water mixture to boil, try to add a tablespoon of cold water to your pot of boiling chai and slowly pour in your plant-based milk. We have found this prevents it from separating 
  • Usually, the quantity of loose tea needed reduces with vegan chai so go easy on the chai. 
  • If you're watching sugar make sure to read the label and pick up the unsweetened vegan milk. 
In Other Moos: Lactose intolerance in adulthood is prevalent in people of East Asian descent with as many as seventy to hundred percent of people affected in these communities. 

Overall, plant-based milk is better for the sake of your health, the environment, and COWS. Amoosed by the health benefits of some of these vegan milk options? A dairy-free lifestyle has the power to make you feel fantastic, increase energy, decrease bloating, improve digestion, clear out your skin, and much more. So try the 7-day dairy-free challenge and share your favorite plant-milk chai recipes below. 

Have a Brew-tiful day!

Chai Bye!

Co-authored by Sargam Merchant and Madura Chaudhari

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