While this spicy and milky South Asian black tea started as a popular street drink, today it’s made in many homes. This version highlights the bright, citrusy and fiery notes of fresh ginger. (We also have a recipe for chai flavored with dried ginger.) When you’re prepping the ginger, wash the peel well and leave it on; it’s only worth removing if the skin is dried and withered. Gently crushing the green cardamom and black pepper helps to release their flavors faster. This yields a spicy cup; for a milder version, barely crush the peppercorns or use half the ginger. Fresh ginger is acidic and can curdle milk between 140–158°, so the milk is added once the ginger and water are boiling to avoid getting chunky masala chai.
CTC teas are processed tea granules that produce a strong black tea which lacks nuance but can stand up to the strong spices in a typical masala chai. At Indian grocery stores or online, they’re sometimes labeled mamri tea. CTC tea has a lot of caffeine, so if you’re sensitive, you can use as little as 2 teaspoons. To make a single cup of chai, divide ingredient quantities by 4, then cook for 4 minutes with the water and 5 minutes with the milk in a small pot.
Masala chai is meant to be customized. Swap or add in one or all of these spices for a different cup of chai: 2 tsp. dried mint, 8 cloves (gently crushed), 4 inches of cinnamon stick (gently crushed into smaller pieces).
Recipe information
Total Time
30 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Combine ginger, cardamom pods and seeds, peppercorns and 3 cups water in a 5-quart pot. Bring mixture to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the tea and boil 4–5 minutes, until the water is dark brown.
Step 2
Add the milk and return to a strong boil until it threatens to boil over, about 4 minutes. (Not all plant based milk will rise when it boils. If yours doesn’t, let boil for 30 seconds before continuing with the recipe and lowering the heat.) Place a wooden spoon across the pot to avoid bubbling over. Reduce heat to low, then, when foam has settled, return to medium high heat. Continue to boil for a total of 10 minutes from the time that milk was added, until the liquid has reduced by ⅓ and has a deep tan color. If the foam continues to rise, lower heat slightly.
Step 3
Remove from heat. Using a strainer, strain tea into 4 teacups. (For a frothy chai, pour the chai from one cup to another a few times until bubbles form.) Add about 1 tsp. sugar (or more to taste) per cup, and serve immediately.
Recipe notes
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