Now that the cool weather has returned, I'm back to my obsessive chai latté drinking...which can be an expensive indulgence, as are many of my favourite things (if only I could make my own cheese). Last winter I scoured the web for masala chai recipes (note: the word chai actually means tea so don't go to India and ask for a chai tea...gah how embarrassing). A good cup seems to be subjective; it all depends on your preferred level of spice and sweetness. I ended up combining and modifying a few recipes and have settled on the concoction I've posted below - of course I'm by no means an expert, I definitely recommend experimenting with the spice blend and ratio. I make the concentrate and store it in the fridge, making just one cup at a time. Warm it up with milk, add a lil' sprinkle of cinnamon sugar if you so desire and bam - deeeelish. And while Cory and I still dream of one day visiting India, for now I'll have to settle for a homemade cup of chai and take-out from our local Indian restaurant (I'm still working on my korma). If you make your own masala chai, please share - I'd love to hear your recipe.
Masala Chai Concentrate (makes enough for approximately five drinks)
- 1.5 tsp black peppercorns
- 12 whole cloves
- 2 star anise
- 2 tsp cardamom pods
- 3 cinnamon sticks, broken in pieces
- 2" piece of ginger, cut into rounds, crushed with back of knife (or double that if you like it spicier as I do)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 4 cups of water
- 4 bags of black tea or the equivalent in loose leaf (assam or darjeeling for the win)
- 2 tbsp honey
Place first 4 ingredients in a bag and roughly crush with a mallet (or the back of a spoon) to release the flavours, then add to a medium saucepan along with the cinnamon, ginger, sugar and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the tea and simmer on low for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, continue to steep for 5 minutes. Strain the liquid into a container and discard the solids. Stir honey into concentrate. Allow to cool before transferring the container to the fridge. When ready to use, add equal parts tea concentrate to steamed milk (play with this ratio depending on the strength of tea you prefer). [I usually warm my tea and milk together on the stove top over medium heat - whisking at the end to create a nice foam]
* For a cool bevvie, mix the concentrate with milk and ice in a cocktail shaker, shake and serve in a tall glass.
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