How to Make Masala Chai Tea

Ingredients needed to make Masala Chai Tea:

• 2 tbsp loose black tea leaves or 2 tea bags, choose between Darjeeling, Earl grey, English Breakfast or orange pekoe variants for best results.
• 2 cups filtered water
• 2 cups milk
• Honey, as required
• 1’’ vanilla pod, split longitudinally
• 3-4 saffron thread
• 3 whole cloves
• ½ tsp minced cardamom seeds, slightly crushed
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ½ tsp black peppercorns
• ¼ tsp fennel seed
• 2 star anise
• ¼ tsp aniseed
• 1/3 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

To serve:

• Whipped cream
• Dash of ground cinnamon or nutmeg

Cooking instructions for Masala Chai Tea:

• Fill a heavy bottomed saucepan with water and place the teabags or loose tea leaves in it.
• Add the vanilla pod as well as the spices, both whole and ground, and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
• Place a lid partially on the pan and reduce it to a simmer; continue to do so for about 20 minutes to allow the spices to infuse their flavours and aroma to the brewed tea.
• Pour in the milk and heat the mixture over increased flame until it starts boiling.
• Lower the heat immediately before the mixture overlflows and repeat the process twice more; this will make your chai tea creamy and frothy.
• Pour the chai tea into the tea cups, through a strainer and stir in honey according to your liking of sweetness.
• Top it with with a dash of ground cinnamon or nutmeg and a dollop of whipped cream.
• Serve steaming hot.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

Last Updated on January 10, 2013 by