| What is the best way to make this at home? |
| I don't make it authentically in any way, but drink it every day like any other tea - steep a bag or two in boiling water, add a smidge of milk, and I add a smidge of brown sugar to mine for sweetener. |
| You might ask to move this to the Food Forum for more results. |
| Chai is just tea. So I would start with hot water and some tea leaves. A strainer is helpful, along with a teapot and a cup. You have to be more specific. |
| Do you mean masala chai? |
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You can make it on the stovetop in a pan.
Couple cups of water, TBSP of black tea leaves, crushed cardamom pods or seeds (use about 4 cardamom pods or a tsp of seeds), pinch of fennel seeds also crushed. pinch of turmeric. pinch of cloves. 1 TBSP of sugar or more if you like it sweet. Simmer and add 1 cup of milk and strain. |
But in the US we say "tea" for tea. You're being pedantic. First time I ever had masala chai it wasn't called that. It was simply called "tea" as far as I can recall on the menu in an Indian restaurant. I recall it being a bit peppery as well as milky and spicy and I add a couple of black peppercorns when I make it. |
| Indians make regular tea which is called chai. It’s just black tea leaves, boiled with milk and sugar. Then there’s ginger tea and masala tea. |
Chai is tea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_OZoPhHpiY Pumpkin Spice is like 60% masala chai spice: Chai spices and pumpkin spices have many spices in common, like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. But, what pumpkin spice doesn't contain, and that makes chai drinks so special, is the touch of cardamom, cloves, star anise, and ground pepper |
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Chai is tea, and can be regular black tea, but I get it OP, it’s used as a description for spiced tea here.
From Madhur Jaffrey: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/masala-chai-recipe-by-madhur-jaffrey |
| If you want to make a chai latte like you get in a coffee shop, go to Trader Joe’s. They sell a Chai concentrate that you mix with milk and then heat. It comes in a little plastic bottle. Highly recommend. |
| Tea from the Indian grocery store with ginger, mint, or chai masala. Lots of milk. My ratio is two cups of water to one cup of milk. Sugar. |
Boil water, drop in tea bag, wait 5 minutes. Boom! Chai! Chai is just another word for tea. |
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Water + black tea + milk + sugar. Most Indian grocery stores carry chai masala, which makes it easier. Always on the stove, as the milk and water ultimately should be brought to a boil together.
The “chai” teabags don’t taste anything like the real thing. |