Spiced Chai Indian Tea (Printable)
A warm Indian spiced tea with cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and black tea for a cozy experience.
# Ingredient List:
→ Spices
01 - 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
02 - 4 whole cloves
03 - 1 cinnamon stick
04 - 5 black peppercorns
05 - 1 inch fresh ginger, sliced
06 - 1 star anise (optional)
→ Tea
07 - 2 cups water
08 - 2 black tea bags or 2 teaspoons loose black tea (Assam preferred)
→ Dairy & Sweetener
09 - 1 cup whole milk or plant-based alternative
10 - 2 tablespoons sugar, adjust to taste
# Steps:
01 - Combine water, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, ginger, and star anise in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
02 - Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes to extract spice flavors.
03 - Add black tea bags or loose tea and simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Stir in milk and sugar. Return to a gentle simmer while stirring.
05 - Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer into cups. Serve hot, optionally garnished with a cinnamon stick or a pinch of ground cardamom.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It tastes like a hug tastes, if hugs were warm and spiced and reminded you that good things take exactly twenty minutes.
- Once you make it once, you'll find yourself craving it on ordinary Tuesdays when nothing else feels quite right.
- The smell alone fills your kitchen with something that feels like home, even if you've never been to India.
02 -
- If your chai breaks and the milk separates into weird flecks, you got too aggressive with the heat—go gentle next time, like you're coaxing something delicate awake.
- Don't skip crushing the cardamom or you'll steep whole pods for nothing; they need to be cracked open to give you anything worth having.
03 -
- Warm your cup with hot water before pouring the chai in—it keeps everything hotter longer and makes the whole experience feel intentional.
- If you can't find fresh ginger, don't skip it; use a tiny bit more cinnamon instead, though it won't be quite the same story.