Posts tagged allspice

Making Chai Tea

Tired of that cup of Folgers every morning?  Want a little change from Starbucks?  Well, next time you want a little pick-me-up, try brewing a cup (or 4, in our recipe) of chai tea.

What is Chai Tea?

For those unfamiliar with chai, it is black tea infused with aromatic spices, finished with milk and sugar.   Virtually any blend of ‘sweet’ and ‘warming’ spices are a good match for chai tea.  Sweet spices are those that pair well, or are enhanced by sweetness: Nutmeg, allspice, vanilla, fennel seed, star anise, cassia and cinnamon to name a few.  Warming spices include peppercorns and ginger, as well as cinnamon.

There are brands of sweetened chai syrup on the market, as well as prepackaged chai flavoured teabags, but they can’t compete with the intoxicating aroma and deep flavours of real chai tea.  Making the real thing is about as difficult as boiling a pot of water – you just need a few things on hand.

As with many Indian dishes, there are limitless regional differences with chai tea.  Some recipes omit ginger or cloves, some add other spices, and I’ve even heard of chilies being added.  Preparation methods differ as well, so remember, there is no truly ‘right way’ to make chai tea.

How do I make Chai Tea?

Ingredients for 1 Litre of Chai Tea

3 Tbsp Black tea – Use a good quality black tea.  Something you would drink on its own.  If you don’t have any on hand, 4 or 5 Tetley tea bags will do.  I normally drink Red Rose tea, but for some reason Tetley seems to make nicer, less tannic masala chai.

Spices -

• 3 inches cinnamon stick
• 10 green cardamom pods
• 1/2 inch ginger, sliced thin
• 10 whole cloves
• 10 black peppercorns

1. Place 2 1/2 cups of water, and all of the spices in a pot, and bring to a boil.
2. Once boiled, cover your pot, and turn to low heat, or turn it off.  Let the spices steep for 10 minutes.
3. Add 1 1/2 cups milk, 2-4 Tbsp sugar, brown sugar, or honey and bring back to a boil.
4. Once boiled, turn heat to low.
5. Add tea leaves and steep on low heat for 10-15 minutes.
6. Strain and serve.

Chai Tea - Ready to Strain

Some additional spices you may want to try adding to your chai:

• Star anise
• Dried orange peel
• Vanilla bean (or just the saved pods, after you scrape the seeds)
• Nutmeg