Dried Ginger Masala Chai
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Masala chai is a spicy and milky South Asian black tea that started as a popular Indian street drink but today is made in many homes. (Read more about chai's history here.) This version mixes the sweet spiciness of dried ginger with piney-fruity-minty green cardamom and the brash, earthy heat of black pepper. Gently crushing the cardamom and peppercorns helps to release their flavors faster. This yields a spicy cup; for a milder version, barely crush the peppercorns. Cooking at a rolling boil rehydrates the spices and provides maximum flavor absorption.
CTC teas are processed tea granules that produce a strong black tea which lacks nuance but can stand up to the strong spices in a typical masala chai. At Indian grocery stores or online, they’re sometimes labeled mamri tea. CTC tea has a lot of caffeine, so if you’re sensitive you can use as little as 2 teaspoons. To make a single cup of chai, divide ingredient quantities by 4, then cook for 4 minutes with the spices and water and 5 minutes with the milk in a small pot.
Recipe information
Total Time
30 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
To a 5-qt pot, add 3 cups water, cardamom pods and seeds, ginger, and pepper and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Then add tea and boil for 4–5 minutes until the water looks darker.
Step 2
Add milk and let boil until the foam almost overflows the pot. (Not all plant-based milk will rise when it boils. If yours doesn’t, keep it at a rolling boil for 30 seconds before continuing with the recipe.) Place a wooden spoon across the pot to avoid bubbling over, and lower heat briefly. When foam has settled, return to medium heat, continuing to boil for a total of 10 minutes from the time that milk was added, until the liquid has reduced by ⅓ and has a deep tan color. If the foam continues to rise, lower heat slightly.
Step 3
Remove from heat. Using a strainer, strain tea into 4 teacups. (For a frothy chai, pour the chai from one cup to another a few times until bubbles form.) Add about 1 tsp. sugar (or more to taste) per cup, and serve immediately.
Variations
Step 4
Swap or add in one or all of these spices to make a different cup of chai: 2 tsp. dried mint, 8 cloves (coarsely crushed), one 4-inch cinnamon stick (crushed into smaller pieces).
Recipe notes
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Born of colonial rule and Indian resistance, masala chai is more than just spiced milk tea. Epi contributor Leena Trivedi-Grenier traces the legacy of chai—and how Indians turned a tool of oppression into an enduring tradition—then shows you how to brew a great cup.
