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Tea: Spiced Chai

Source of Recipe

From "Cooking with Spice" by Jennifer Newens


Recipe Introduction

"Chai is the word for 'tea' in India, and it is often found brewed with a mixture of aromatic spices and sweetened hot milk, as in this recipe. If you like, you can also serve this chai over ice on a hot day. The peppercorns may seem like an odd addition to a drink, but they add a faint spicy heat and complexity to the mix."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 5 cardamom pods
â—¦ 1 cinnamon stick, plus sticks for garnish (optional)
â—¦ 4 black peppercorns
â—¦ 4 whole cloves
â—¦ 3 cups whole milk
â—¦ â…“ cup strong black tea leaves such as Darjeeling or Ceylon
â—¦ ½ cup sugar


Recipe

Gently crack cardamom pods with side of a chef’s knife. Remove seeds and discard pods. In a mortar, spice grinder, or coffee mill reserved for spices, combine cardamom, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and cloves and crush with a pestle or grind to a coarse powder.

Transfer spice powder to a large saucepan and add milk and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir tea leaves and sugar into milk mixture, cover, and steep chai over low heat for 5 minutes, or until it reaches desired strength. Remove from heat.

Strain chai through a fine-mesh sieve into warmed cups. Serve right away, garnishing cups with cinnamon sticks, if you like.

Makes 4 to 6 servings