Whilst in Jaipur I was introduced to Adeep, Jaipur’s master of masala chai. He very kindly showed us how to make it from scratch. This sweetly spiced tea is drunk all over India and is a morning ritual for most Indians. Chai wallahs are found on every street corner in India (as well as on all trains!) selling their own personal blends. We are big fans of the sweet stuff – partly because it tastes so good but it also has numerous health benefits.
All the spices used have anti-inflammatory qualities, it can help digestion and even helps fatigue. Give it a go: it will provide a welcome change and it is certainly more exciting than your daily bog standard builders’ brew!
This recipe makes 600ml.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 English breakfast teabag
- 6 cardamon pods
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 6 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 12 peppercorns
- 500ml freshly boiled water
- 100ml milk
- 2-3 tsp sugar
Open up the teabag and place the contents in a pan.
Add all the spices and the boiling water and simmer for 4-5 minutes over a medium high heat.
Strain it through a fine tea strainer into a jug before returning to the pan.
Add the milk and sugar and stir over the heat for 30 seconds. Read more