How to Make Home-made Chai

"Chai" means "tea." You can make home-made variations of this spicy Indian tea from scratch. This tea is perfect for cold winter mornings. It is also especially comforting if you have a cold. I make this tea for guests and they all love it.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 20 oz. hot water
• 2 plain tea bags
• Whole cardamom pods
• Grated ginger root
• Ground cloves
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground black pepper
• Sugar or honey
• Milk

1. Boil about 24 oz. water in a pot. Turn the heat to low and steep the tea bags in the water. With a spoon, gently press the tea bags against the side of the pot to let the tannins out into the water. Steep 5 minutes.

2. While the tea steeps, peel the ginger and grate about 2 pinches of it. Take a handful of cardamom pods and pinch them so they open just a little.

3. Remove the teabags. Add the cardamom and ginger. Taste the tea between pinches of ginger so that you don't add too much. The tea should be aromatic.

4. Add 4 pinches of cinnamon and one pinch of cloves. Don't add too much cloves or the taste and smell will overpower the tea. Last, add two pinches of ground black pepper.

5. Stir the tea and cover the pot. Leave on low heat for about 15 minutes to let the spices creep into the tea. Add sugar/honey and milk to taste. Serve chai hot or cold.

Tips & Warnings

• Instead of milk, try adding cream or condensed milk
• Once you have a chai base, you can make yummy chai milkshakes and vitamin drinks

Resources

• Purchase organic chai online
• About chai
• Yogi tea
• Where to find a chai tea latte

[chocolate00]

on 3/4/2009 I love tea, will have to try this one, 5*!

[Rattanji]

on 2/23/2009 Very good informative article.

[digidi]

on 2/22/2009 Sounds delish!

[williamfjordan]

on 2/21/2009 I am going to make this ... thanks 5*