Masala chai
A warming cup of chai is just what a rainy day needs. Simmered with whole spices, ginger and made mainly with milk, this brew is strong, milky and with just the right amount of sweetness.
Ingredients
- 4³¦³¾/1½¾±²Ô cinnamon stick
- 6 green cardamom pods
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 250ml/9fl oz full-fat milk
- 2.5cm/1in fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 strong tea black bags
- 3 tsp caster sugar
Method
Put the cinnamon, cardamom and fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar. Crush to a coarse mixture.
Place the milk, ground spices, ginger and tea bags in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10–12 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 100ml/3½fl oz water and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir, making sure the milk doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Stir in the sugar. Strain and pour into mugs to serve.
Recipe Tips
You could easily make this chai with a "barista style" plant-based milk that is suitable for heating. Some standard plant milks have a tendency to separate.