How to Make Chai at Home

Fresh or dried orange peel or lemon peel will add a citrus note to the chai.

These days, it's not hard to find chai on the market, but it hasn't always been as easy as walking into your local coffee shop and ordering a chai latte. Long before chai masala became a hip drink, people were making their own chai at home. It's surprisingly easy to make chai at home and will save you a considerable amount of money over buying it in pre-packaged teabags or at the coffee shop.

Things You'll Need

• 4 black or green teabags
• 2 tbsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. anise
• 1/2 cup sliced ginger
• 10-12 black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Tea strainer or cheesecloth
• 3 cups water
• Milk
• Honey

Instructions

1. Pour the water into a saucepan. Stir in the spices and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer at least five minutes.

2. Add the teabags and remove the saucepan from the heat. Cover the pan and allow the tea to steep for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place a strainer or a doubled piece of cheesecloth over a teapot or a large glass measuring cup.

3. Remove the teabags and pour the tea through the strainer or cheesecloth. Stir in milk and honey to taste. Pour the tea into four mugs and serve.

Tips & Warnings

• Take it easy with the black pepper and cayenne at first. Gradually add more until you find a balance you like.

• Experiment with different proportions and combinations of spices until you find one you like. You may want to add cardamom, cloves or fennel seeds to create a different flavor.

References

• GrowandMake.com: How to Make Chai Tea