The Art of Reducing Chai at Home

The art of reducing chai concentrate at home to amplify the intensity is easier than you think. 

You may have heard the term ‘reduction’ in every cooking show you’ve ever watched or read, from Network Ten’s MasterChef to renowned Australian cook, Stephanie Alexander’sThe Cook’s Companion. Simply put, it’s the process of simmering liquids to concentrate flavour, colour and aroma.

Sounds easy enough but it’s actually a little more involved than that. I won’t bore you with the science behind it but take it from my experience in brewing down thousands of litres of liquid chai to bring you the most flavourful chai you can savour at home.

With Chai Addict, all the hard work of brewing chai to a concentrate has been done for you so you can create a warm and comforting cup of chai latte with ease. But did you know you could reduce the chai concentrate further to create a punchier, spicier flavour for cooking or baking?

More recently, I’ve been experimenting in the kitchen whipping up all sorts of chai-spiced morsels and the results have been most impressive.

Mastering the Art of Reducing Chai

To master the art of reduction, here are some helpful tips for simmering down 1 cup of Chai Addict chai tea concentrate.

Use a heavy based pot – this absorb, distributes and retain the heat more evenly.

Use a small hob so it’s easier to control the heat.

Keep it to a simmer, this is important. It’s a gentle bubble of the liquid. A vigorous boil not only agitates and releases more than water molecules, you’ll lose the all-important flavourful, aromatic compounds of the masala chai.

Be patient and the rewards will be worth it. I recommend reducing the liquid chai by a quarter or half. Obviously the more it’s reduced, the punchier the  chai flavour gets. It all depends on what you’re making.

Experiment. This should take 10 – 15 minutes. Store liquid chai concentrate in a sanitised glass jar, in the fridge and use it within 6 months

Ready to give it a go? Here’s a warming and light easy chai recipe, a healthy stack of chai pancake recipe for you to try out in your kitchen.