Even though it’s said that winter goes “out like a lamb”, we’re still very much in the “in like a lion” part.
Masala chai is made with warming spices, such as cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. These spices have numerous health benefits, and really elevate the taste of the chai.
Curl up with a warm mug of masala chai, the perfect companion in cold weather!
INDIAN MASALA CHAI
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups water
- 5 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cardamom pods
- 2 teabags
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 cup milk (can be whole milk, 2%, soy milk, etc)
DIRECTIONS
- Pour water into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Add whole spices, teabags, and sugar to water, simmering for about five minutes, making sure sugar dissolves completely.
- To this, slowly add milk. Bring milk to a boil on medium, lowering the heat when the bubbles come close to the top.
- When the bubbles recede, turn up the heat again, and repeat this process about three more times, taking care not to allow the milk to boil over.
- Remove chai from heat. Strain chai into two mugs through a sieve to separate the solids. Let stand for a few minutes, or until ready to drink.
- Enjoy with your favorite snack!
Note: Milk boils very fast, so be sure not to walk away during this part of the process.
KEEP ON READING…
Being a Mumbaikar, Chai or Cutting Chai is like a cult cuisine. At home Leena too have her Magic powder. I call that a LeeCassie Nightingale touch.
Ok, My mouth is watering and now I must have chai tea. Does it make any difference with what kind of tea bag you use? Are any brands smoother or better? Thanks.
I’ve been using Lipton for many years and have no complaints. Brooke Bond Red Label is good too. Happy brewing!
Okay great. I think I may be in business then. Thanks for the recipe.
Of course 🙂
You can also add a dash of ginger to it. Tastes yum!
Oh, I’ve always meant to do that, but I wasn’t sure how it would turn out. I will be trying that now! Thanks for the tip 🙂
😀 You are welcome!
What a lovely way to use cardamom. I adore cardamom, but don’t really bake so don’t get to use it often.
I use it in tea mainly, and I occasionally toss it into chicken curry. 🙂
Girl, you do it just like me! The only thing I do differently is that I add a few fennel seeds. 🙂 Mmm…now I want some chai. Might have to go make some.
Oh, I’ve never tried it with fennel. That sounds really good! Thanks for the tip 🙂
Thanks for this post! I love Indian chai! If I don’t have cardamom pods, how many teaspoons of ground cardamom can I use?
I’ve personally never used ground cardamom, but it is approx. 2/3 of a teaspoon. Here is the link for more info about cardamom (http://www.foodsubs.com/SpiceUniv.html).
According to the site, once the cardamom is ground, it may be less flavorful. So you might want to try experimenting with a little more ground cardamom to bring out the flavor.
Hope this helps! 🙂
Oh I love Indian chai…will definitely try this at home 🙂
Thanks!
You’re very welcome!