Chai Latte Spiced Tea (Printer-friendly)
Aromatic Indian spiced tea blended with creamy milk for a cozy and soothing drink.
# What You Need:
→ Spices
01 - 2 whole cloves
02 - 2 green cardamom pods, crushed
03 - 1 cinnamon stick
04 - 4 black peppercorns
05 - 1/2 inch fresh ginger slice
→ Tea
06 - 2 cups water
07 - 2 black tea bags (Assam or Darjeeling)
→ Dairy
08 - 1 1/2 cups whole milk (or oat/almond milk for dairy-free)
→ Sweetener
09 - 2 tablespoons sugar (or honey/maple syrup to taste)
# How to Make It:
01 - Combine water, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, peppercorns, and ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 5 minutes to extract flavors.
02 - Add the tea bags to the saucepan and simmer gently for 2 minutes.
03 - Pour in the milk and sugar. Heat gently until hot but not boiling, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
04 - Remove from heat and strain the beverage through a fine mesh sieve into mugs.
05 - Serve hot with optional ground cinnamon or nutmeg sprinkled on top.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It transforms five minutes into a ritual that feels like self-care without the fuss.
- The spices do the heavy lifting, making you taste like you spent hours on this when you really didn't.
- It's forgiving enough for beginners but interesting enough to keep tweaking once you've mastered it.
02 -
- Never boil the milk after it goes in—it will scald and taste bitter, ruining the whole delicate balance you just created.
- Crushing your cardamom pods by hand instead of leaving them whole makes a measurable difference in how much flavor actually makes it into your cup.
03 -
- Store whole spices in an airtight container away from light and heat; they'll stay fragrant for months and make a noticeable difference in your chai.
- If you're making chai for guests, prepare your spiced water ahead of time and reheat it just before adding tea and milk—it buys you calm moments instead of frantic timing.