Classic Homemade Chai

[John Bauer]

Ingredients:​

• 1 cup water
  
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• 1 cup whole milk (or half-and-half)
  
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• 2 tsp black tea leaves (or two Orange Pekoe tea bags)
  
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• 2 tsp sugar (adjust to taste)
  
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• 1 inch piece fresh ginger, sliced or grated
  
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• 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
  
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• 1 small cinnamon stick
  
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• 2 cloves
  
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  • Optional: 1 star anise
    
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  • Optional: ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
    
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  • Optional: 4 black peppercorns (for warmth)

Instructions:​

1. Boil the water and spices. In a saucepan, bring the water, ginger, and whole spices to a boil. Simmer for 5–10 minutes (longer for stronger flavor).
   
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2. Add tea. Add the black tea leaves (or tea bags). Simmer for 2–3 minutes.
   
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3. Add milk and sugar. Pour in the milk and add sugar to taste. Bring to a gentle boil. Watch closely, ensuring that it doesn’t boil over.
   
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4. Simmer and steep. Let it simmer for 2–3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. The color should be rich and caramel-brown.
   
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5. Strain and serve. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into cups. Serve hot.

Tips:​

• Stronger chai? Use more tea or simmer longer.
  
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• Sweeter chai? Add jaggery, honey, or sweetened condensed milk.
  
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• Shortcut? Use a chai masala spice blend (½ tsp per cup) instead of whole spices.

 

[John Bauer]

When I made this, I included all the optional ingredients. If you like ginger, the full recipe is basically perfect. As for me, however, I like ginger in food I eat but not so much in what I drink, so I think next time I will use half that amount of ginger.