How to Make Chai Tea at Home

Chai spices

Chai tea, or masala chai as it is traditionally called in India, is a tea made from a mix of aromatic spices and usually served with milk. Traditional Indian chai is much stronger than what you would get at a Western coffeeshop or if you brew the tea from tea bags. Here is a recipe for making chai at home that will give you robust flavor without the sweetening syrup typically found in pre-made mixes.

Things You'll Need

• Small pot or sauce pan
• Paring knife
• 2 inch tea strainer
• Mortar and pestle
• Cinnamon stick
• Cloves
• Cardamom
• Ginger root, 1 inch piece, peeled
• Black peppercorns
• Assam or other black tea
• Water
• Sugar or honey
• Milk

Instructions

1. Crush ten to twelve cloves with the mortar and pestle. Add these to your pot. Do the same with ten to twelve pods of cardamom. Crack open the pods so that the seeds inside are visible. Add these to the pot as well.

2. Cut off a one-inch piece from the ginger root. Peel off the outside skin with a paring knife, then slice the piece into small rounds. Add these to the pot, along with the cinnamon stick and about ten black peppercorns. Add three and one half cups water to the pot and place over high heat until boiling.

3. After the tea has started to boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 10 minutes to half an hour, depending on how strong you'd like it be.

4. Add the black tea to the mixture and let simmer for one to two minutes. Add sugar or honey to taste and about one cup of milk. Let the tea continue to simmer for a minute to allow the milk to warm and the honey or sugar to dissolve.

5. Pour the tea into cups, using a strainer to separate the tea leaves and spices from the liquid. Makes about four cups.

6. Experiment with the recipe, adjusting the amount of each spice until you get a flavor you like. Some recipes also call for vanilla bean, whole dried allspice berries, anise seeds or fennel seeds. Change the recipe to suit your mood or the season.

Tips & Warnings

• Asian groceries frequently have tea strainers that fit in the top of your tea cup. You can also find these online (see Resources).

Resources

• Chai Tea Recipes and Discussions
• Tea Strainers