Now you can drink your masala chai and eat it too. Wondering how? Just take a bite of Indian chocolate brand Paul And Mike’s 57% Milk Indian Masala Chai Chocolate. It even won the first ever gold for any Indian chocolate bar at the International Chocolate Awards — Asia Pacific 2023 held in Hong Kong in March. The team at the farm-to-bar chocolate brand from Kerala says there is more than just the flavour and aroma that makes the chocolate special. Founder and business head Vikas Temani says the vegan chocolate was crafted with rice milk. Vikas explains, “We didn’t add any tea leaves or tea flavour to the chocolate. Instead, we have used the masalas that go into preparing masala chai, such as ginger, cardamon, and so on. The rice milk is extracted from Japonica rice, a small rice variety that is used in preparing sushi.”
The Indian fruits used in Paul and Mike’s other creations include jamun (java plum) and sitaphal (custard apple). Another striking Indian flavour is the thandai-flavoured chocolate. “The brand’s philosophy is to popularise Indian fruits and flavours. The masala chai, however, is not new to the market; we took it to the competition only this year, after working on it for two years with rice milk and tweaking the flavour furthermore,” says Vikas.
