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Here is a lovely Masala Chai recipe that is authentically Indian. I've been enjoying this for a long time, but lately reduced the number of black peppercorns and cardamoms because for me, the spices are a bit too strong. Lovely to sip any time, or on a cold rainy day or just when you want to be cheered up.

The recipe was adapted from Amrta Siddhi cooking class. Reference: http://yummysupper.blogspot.com/2011...hai-latte.html

Serves 4, or makes 2 big lattes.

Have fun playing around with the spices and flavour combinations until you get a chai that you love. Who needs to buy packaged chai after knowing how easy it really is to make yourself.


Ingredients:

3 cups water

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated

6 cardamom pods, crushed in mortar and pestle

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

2 pinches fresh grated nutmeg

6 pieces star anise

8 black peppercorns

1 1/2 cup milk

Assam or Darjeeling tea - 6 teaspoons of loose tea, or 6 tea bags

Sugar, as desired (I like to add a couple of tablespoons of coconut sugar into the spice mixture) or failing that, jaggery sugar.


Optional for serving: cinnamon stick and star anise.

Place water, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon powder, nutmeg, star anise, and black peppercorns in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat.

When the liquid comes to a boil, add milk. Let everything return to a boil. Then add tea and simmer for 1 minute.

Pour your chai through a strainer into a clean bowl or a metal pitcher like the photo below. Then pour the chai back into a clean pot/bowl. If you continue to pour the chai back and forth like this a few times, you will froth the milk a bit - thus the "latte." Maman found out that in India, which is the technique the chai vendors use. Clever.