Chai Tea

Traditional family recipe from my Indian friend in college.

Bring to boil:

• 6 c. water
• 1/3 c. milk (full fat oat milk if looking to substitute with non-dairy)

Add:

• 1 stick cinnamon
• 6 green cardamoms
• 6 whole cloves
• 12 black peppercorns
• 12 t. sugar

Turn off heat, cover and set for 10 minutes.

Add 6 heaping teaspoons of black leaf tea (Darjeeling, Ceylon or Assam recommended but we also like Barry’s Irish Tea).  Bring to a second boil, and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.

Strain and serve.

Compare with Tik Tok’s famous chai celebrity.  It’s very similar to my friend’s recipe, but has milk powder instead of real milk, adds ginger with less spices, and brown sugar instead of white.

SRI LANKAN GINGER CARDAMOM CHAI

Kevin’s tips for good chai:

Tea leaves: Use loose leaf tea. If you have tea bags, cut them open. Use BOPF Ceylon tea (Dilma is a good brand) or Assam tea. Assam has a very different flavor but is a great option if you can’t find Ceylon.

Aeration: Don’t skip this step! It’s what makes the chai creamy.

Ginger-cardamom balance: Don’t put too much ginger in, it will overpower the flavor.

INGREDIENTS (quantities depend on personal tastes)

• 1 inch grated fresh ginger

• several green cardamom pods

• full cream milk powder

• brown sugar (or white sugar will suffice)

• Ceylon or Assam tea

DIRECTIONS

1. Put a cup of water on the stove to boil. Crush grated fresh ginger and cardamom pods together with a mortar and pestle, then add it to the boiling water and let sit for a few minutes.

2. Add tea, bring heat to medium. Let simmer for a few minutes (“Simmer with the lid on is the Sri Lanken way. Make it dance for a little bit.”)

3. In a bowl or small pitcher, combine milk powder and sugar. Mix very well.

4. Take some of the simmering water and pour it into the pitcher with the milk powder sugar combo. Mix well until you have a thick slurry paste. Taste the mixture to see if you need more sugar. (“This is how we do it in the motherland. Something about this method it just tastes better. I don’t know why.”

5. Pour the tea through a sieve into the milk powder mixture and stir well. Discard the tea leaves into potted plants or a compost pile. (Don’t do this if there is sugar mixed in with the tea leaves).

6. Aerate the chai by pouring it in a long stream between two containers several times.

7. Serve warm.