Homemade Chai

I got hooked on Chai when I was living in Calcutta. I make a double batch so I can keep the extra in the fridge and microwave it for my morning tea the next day. Buying the spices in bulk, and using tea that's not as nice as what I drink just plain, keeps makes this really inexpensive. Thanks to Elise for introducing me to the recipe (which is adapted from this Gourmet, I think). This is adapted from a post on my blog, Obsessed with Dinner.

You'll need:
3 scoops/teabags black tea (Darjeeling, English Breakfast, etc...)
1 inch fresh ginger, cut into rounds
1 cinnamon stick
2 t black pepper corns
10 or so whole cloves
5 cardamon pods
3 cups water
1 cup milk/soy (I use whole milk)
1/4 c brown sugar

Step 1 Bruise the Spices

Put all of the spices in a sealable plastic bag and bruise them well by pounding with a rolling pin or hammer. Don't go crazy, though, you're bruising not destroying.

Comments

[lvilla7]

If you grind all spices and steep them in hot water you would need to use a fine filter such as a cofee filter to avoid the gritty feeling of the spices in the mouth. Also the flavor would be milder, as the best way to get all the flavor out of the spices is to steel them in simmering water for at least ten minutes.
In any ase, using resh spces will yield a way better chai than anything store bought.

[obsessed]

I haven't tried that, but I think it's a great idea. You might want to cut back on the spices the first try because ground up they could be much stronger. Let me know if it works!

[erasei]

Could you use dried/ground ginger and put everything in a spice grinder and make your own chai tea mix?

Then you could just add a teaspoon or ever how much to a hot cup of water and steep your tea as you needed. Good for taking to work, that sort of thing.