Spiced Chai Indian Tea Blend (Printable Version)

A warming Indian tea infused with cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and black tea, perfect for cozy moments.

# What You Need:

→ Spices

01 - 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
02 - 4 whole cloves
03 - 1 cinnamon stick (about 3 inches)
04 - 5 whole black peppercorns
05 - 1 inch fresh ginger root, sliced
06 - 1 star anise (optional)

→ Tea

07 - 2 cups water
08 - 2 black tea bags or 2 teaspoons loose black tea (preferably Assam)

→ Dairy & Sweetener

09 - 1 cup whole milk or plant-based milk alternative
10 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, adjust to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - In a small saucepan, combine water with cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, sliced ginger, and star anise. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
02 - Reduce heat and let the mixture simmer gently for 5 minutes to extract the spice flavors.
03 - Add black tea bags or loose tea to the saucepan and simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Pour in the milk and sugar, stirring to dissolve. Return the mixture to a gentle simmer without boiling.
05 - Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer into serving cups.
06 - Serve hot, optionally garnished with a cinnamon stick or a sprinkle of ground cardamom.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like someone who actually cares about you took the time to make something special.
  • The spices warm you from the inside out in a way that coffee never quite manages.
  • It transforms a simple afternoon into something that feels intentional and unhurried.
02 -
  • The spices need that initial boil and simmer time—rushing to add the tea will give you spiced hot milk, not chai.
  • Strain carefully or you'll end up with cardamom shells in your teeth, which ruins the whole experience.
03 -
  • Bruise the cardamom pods gently with the flat side of your knife—enough to crack them open, not destroy them into fragments.
  • If you're making chai regularly, buy whole spices in small quantities and store them in airtight containers away from light; they lose their punch after a few months.

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