Real masala chai isn't a tea bag in hot water — it's simmered on the stove so the spices and tea infuse properly into water first, then milk. Fresh ginger and freshly crushed cardamom make all the difference; everything else is to taste.

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups water · 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 tsp loose black tea (Assam) or 2 tea bags
  • 4 green cardamom pods, crushed
  • 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 small cinnamon stick · 2 cloves
  • 1 black peppercorn (optional) · sugar to taste

Method

  1. Add the water to a small saucepan with the crushed cardamom, grated ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a boil and simmer 3–4 minutes so the spices bloom.
  2. Add the black tea and let it simmer another 2 minutes, until the water turns deep reddish-brown.
  3. Pour in the milk and add sugar to taste. Bring back to a gentle boil and let it foam up and rise once or twice (watch it — it boils over fast), lowering the heat each time.
  4. Simmer another minute for a richer brew, then strain into cups through a fine sieve. Serve piping hot.

☕ Bloom the spices first

Simmering the spices and tea in water before the milk goes in extracts far more flavor. Adding everything to milk at once gives a flat, milky cup.