As much as you try to replicate the method, nailing chaiwallah chai made from fresh spices, creamy milk and a delicious frothy finish is just too hard to master.
Maybe it’s their subpar skill of rapidly pouring the chai from one pot to another in order to achieve that perfect consistency.
With our fabulous recipe though, you’ll be able to enjoy the delicious warmth of chai while the weather is making you feel blue. Because there’s no problem serious enough that a cup of tea can’t fix.
You will need:
2 cups of water
½ tsp. of freshly grated ginger
1/8 tsp. of freshly ground black peppercorns
4 cloves
4 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick broken into pieces
2 cups of milk
2 tbsp. of sugar
1 handful of mint leaves
1 handful of lemongrass
2 tbsp. of Assam black tea
In a small pot bring the water, ginger, pepper cloves, cardamom pods and cinnamon to a boil.
Add in the milk, sugar, mint and lemongrass and bring to a boil once again.
Remove the pot from the heat and add in the loose black tea.
Now cover the pot and let the tea steep for at least three minutes (or longer if you prefer a stronger brew).
Strain the mixture and pour into a teapot or directly into a traditional stainless steel chai tumbler.
And if there’s one thing you need to accompany your chai, it’s hot, crispy, delicious samosas.
Go on, chai it! You’ll like it.
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Written by Nazneen Joshi on 30th Jun 2014