Is it richer? Sweeter? Less sweet? More bitter? More spiced?
I have no doubt this is a tough question to answer... my understanding is every wallah may have their own masala and so forth.
But I'd love to hear your answer!
>I'd love to hear what makes the real thing unique and different!
There is no one unique kind of chai. (Lots of things are less standardized in Indian than, say, some Western countries, like in Europe and the US - though I know there are a lot of variations there too).
A few common ways of making chai that I have seen and had and done myself:
- boil equal amounts of water and milk together, so about 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup water per person
- some people add the tea leaves [1] (around 1 teaspoon per person, and in English style, one "for the pot" :) before boiling the milk-water mixture, others add it at the end, after the liquid comes to a boil. Depending on strength of tea wanted, people either take it off the gas immediately, and maybe let it steep for a while, to get a bit stronger, or let it boil or simmer for a bit.
[1] Dust tea is sometimes used instead of leaf tea, but I don't prefer that, though it is cheaper - it tends to make the tea too strong. Can't control the strength as easily, IMO.
Spices (like many others have said in this thread), like pre-made chai masala (not so good an option), or individual fresh spices (common ones are cloves, cardamom and cinnamon, ginger too) can be added while the liquid is heating. The ginger is crushed on a flat stone or using a mortar and pestle to bring out its flavor and juice, before adding it, otherwise it doesn't work.
- Black tea is always used for chai, not green tea.
- Indians mostly (as far as I have seen) drink tea only with milk (made the way I said above, or some variant), not black tea (made with water only), i.e. not the way many Americans drink black coffee.
- Strain using a strainer into cups, add sugar (or add it during the boiling, or no sugar if you wish), and drink it hot. Tall tales while sipping, are optional but allowed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butter_tea
they did originally use yak butter, and still do, but increasingly do use butter made from cow milk, since it is more available now. Maybe you saw a case of that.
Update: Just searched again and found a few more interesting links. Also, they (Tibetans) pour the butter tea into their tsampa, also a staple food among them:
https://www.eater.com/2016/8/25/12624068/butter-coffee-tea-t...
http://www.teafoodhistory.com/tibetan_tea.html
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/05/05/404435137/tea...
The chai in Starbucks and its friends is a concoction of spices, very little tea leaves and it is all in steamed milk? Quite a bit of difference between boiled water tea and steamed milk (which is also quite richer).