Favourite Spiced Tea
Submitted by vinceammirato
Favourite spiced tea: a fragrant homemade chai blend of peppercorns, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger ground fresh, stirred into a pot of tea and served hot with milk and sugar.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
5 minCOOK
0 minREADY
8 minThis is masala chai made the proper way, starting from a freshly ground spice blend rather than a dusty pre-mixed tin. Peppercorns, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon get ground to a powder, with fresh ginger worked in for warmth and bite.
Grinding the whole spices yourself right before brewing is the real difference-maker. Whole spices hold their volatile oils far longer than pre-ground ones, so the tea comes out vivid and aromatic instead of flat. You need only about half a tablespoon stirred into a fresh pot, brewed a couple of minutes, then served hot with milk and sugar.
The recipe makes extra blend, so you can keep that cozy, spiced cup on tap for weeks.
Kitchen Tips
- Grind the spices fresh; whole spices keep their aroma far longer than pre-ground.
- Store the leftover blend in a screw-top jar in a dark cupboard to protect the flavor.
- Don’t over-brew with the spices in; a couple of minutes is plenty before it turns bitter.
Variations
- Add a few fennel seeds or a star anise to the blend.
- Brew it stronger and simmer with milk for a richer, creamier chai.
- Sweeten with honey or jaggery in place of sugar.
Ingredients
Directions
Put peppercorns, cardamom seeds, cloves and cinnamon in a mortar and grind to a fine powder with a pestle.
Add ginger and grind again for a few seconds to mix.
Make a pot of tea and add about ½ tablespoon of spice mixture and leave in a warm place for 1 to 2 minutes to brew.
Serve hot, with sugar and milk.
Makes about 8 tablespoons spice mix, enough for 16 pots tea.
Note:
Store remaining spice mixture in a screw-topped jar in a dark cupboard to preserve its flavor. It will keep for 2 to 3 months.
Comments
Yes Tasty !! Loving It !