Authentic Masala Chai
Servings 2 cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup bottled or filtered water
- 1 cup milk cow, goat, or almond
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
- 1 whole star anise
- 3 whole cloves crushed
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds crushed
- 1 teaspoon whole green cardamom pods crushed
- ⅛ teaspoon whole black and white peppercorns half black and half white, crushed
- 2-½ teaspoons brown sugar I prefer dark, not light
- 2 teaspoons loose black CTC Assam Tea the best is a variety known as "Maori" or "little grain" tea. I prefer the brand "Tea India"
- 1-½ tablespoons fresh ginger root, cut into thin slices
Instructions
- Put water in a stovetop pot. Add loose black tea.
- Add fresh ginger slices to water.
- Add cinnamon stick.
- Add star anise.
- With a mortar and pestle, separately crush cloves, fennel, cardamon pods, and black and white peppercorns. Add each to water. Cook on high until it reaches boiling point, then immediately remove from heat and cover. Let sit at least 20- 30 minutes to absorb flavors.
- Add milk and brown sugar and bring mixture back to boiling point. As soon as it begins to boil and sugar dissolves, immediately remove it from heat.
- Strain through a sieve into a bowl to remove all tea leaves and spices. Once it is strained, pour the liquid back into the empty pot and bring to almost the boiling point.
- Pour into cup and enjoy! (If you prefer iced tea instead of hot, can refrigerate and when ready to drink, pour over ice).
Notes
This recipe can be increased to make more that you can store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you prefer strong, spicy flavors, increase the amount of the spices. For even richer, stronger flavors, let the brew stand for a longer period before straining. For iced chai, pour over ice. Delicious hot or cold!