Spice up your holiday with this festive drink
Masala (spiced) chai is a traditional Indian tea made with whole spices, ginger and milk. It is made by simmering black tea with spices and cooking down the milk with it a for a rich, creamy and complex taste. Chai tea, which is common in America, is made with steamed milk and uses a concentrate or powder, giving it a more watered down, sharp flavor Masala chai is typically not manually frothed, while a chai tea latte is distinctly frothy.
Masala (Spiced) Chai
Ingredients:
Strong black tea bags (Assam or Darjeeling)
Cinnamon sticks (Cassia or Ceylon)
Cloves
Green cardamom pods
Black peppercorns
Milk (or non-dairy alternative)
Optional: Fennel seeds, mint leaves, sugar
Directions:
Place a saucepan over high heat and add water. Add the whole spices and ginger while the water is coming to a boil.
When water begins to boil, add tea bags and reduce the heat to a simmer so the tea and spices have time to infuse the water. Stop and smell the aroma of the spices.
Add the milk and sugar, if desired. Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat and allow it to simmer for another five minutes or so.
Raise the heat to high and allow it to come to a rolling boil for a minute or so, depending on how “cooked” you like the milk. There is no right or wrong, it simply boils down to your preference.
Pour into cups through a fine mesh strainer and discard tea bags and spices.
