Why I love Chai and I think you will too!
This chai recipe will be your new go-to if you are a chai lover! Homemade chai is so much better than store bought. A few years ago, I went to India for 2 weeks. Every stop we made we were greeted with delicious, sweet, sometimes spicy, hot chai. It was unlike anything I’ve ever had. Any time it was offered I took it. I’m a big sweet tooth so the small servings of sugar and caffeine throughout the day were always welcome.
It’s Just Good Stuff
Wintertime or a cold rainy day is the perfect time for this recipe. I love chai in the afternoon for a little caffeine pick me up. Many people even drink homemade chai first thing in the morning instead of coffee. I am still definitely a big coffee drinker so I won’t be giving that up.
What You’ll Need
This recipe can be made with individual bought ingredients. All you need is organic cardamom pods, organic fennel seeds, loose leaf black tea, water, milk, and raw sugar. I recommend having a mortar and pestle on hand too so that you can crush the spices a little before putting them in boiling water. They are pretty inexpensive on amazon! Like this one! The milk and sugar can be substituted for dietary restrictions or preferences but I’m not very fussy.
Recipe
1 cup water
3 cardamom pods
pinch of fennel seeds
2 tsp loose leaf black tea
1 cup milk
In a small pot, boil water. Crush cardamom and fennel in a pestle and mortar and add once water is boiling. Let spices boil about 1 minute. Add loose leaf tea, let boil for 2 minutes. Then, add milk and wait for milk to boil and start to rise in the pot, approx 1 minute. Turn off heat, strain into a mug and add sugar to taste!
One Final Note
PS.. if you’re feeling spicy, you can add a little cinnamon or black pepper. Also, if you’re trying to kick a cold, add a thin piece of fresh ginger root. Although keeping it simple is just the way I like it! Lastly, I found the most amazing small business that blends together spices and tea and they are great! Click here to check out their products for even easier homemade Indian Chai. I love buying The Chai Box loose leaf tea blend. It is the perfect blend and is in my opinion more fresh than other loose leaf black tea in the store. Check it out here!
Lastly, Enjoy! If you made this recipe, let me know what you think!
