Chai: Indian Aromatic Tea
The authentic Indian tea classic. While real Chai has to be aromatic, sweet and milky, you can adjust this recipe according to your taste.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk (you can also use low fat if you are watching calories, or a vegan milk substitute)
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsp sugar (white or brown, according to your taste)
- 2 teabags black tea (or 2 teaspoons of loose black tealeaves)
- 2 green cardamom
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/4 tsp clove powder
Instructions
- Crush the cardamom with a rolling pin. The top shell should come off easily. Bow crush the seeds as best you can. It does not have to be absolutely smooth.
- Put all ingredients in a small pot and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes while you do a taste test. Add more spice accordingly.
- Pour into cups and sprinkle a bit of cinnamon or grate a little nutmeg on top.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Some do not like the taste of crushed cardamom in their mouth while drinking chai. In that case, you can strain the chai and then serve it. Most Indians do not mind the cardamon as it serves as a breath freshener!
Milks: If you are lactose intolerant or vegan, you can use oat milk instead, or another vegan milk substitute. The flavour will be different but still delicious! If you're watching calorie intake, you can also use a low-fat or non-fat milk instead of whole milk.