Try this Chai I recipe.
- Carbohydrate 13.2872777577818 g
- Cholesterol 1.22 mg
- Fat 0.307869444444444 g
- Fiber 0.0311111111111111 g
- Protein 0.515205555555556 g
- Saturated Fat 0.192448055555556 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (146g)
- Sodium 9.8275 mg
- Sugar 13.2561666466707 g
- Trans Fat 0.0174444444444444 g
- Calories 56 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine the water, tea, masala, cardamon, and 1 tsp of the sugar in a large saucepan and simmer over low heat for 5 min.
- Add the milk and the rest of the sugar.
- Add the ginger 1-2 min after that, or when the mixture returns to a simmer.
- Wait for 15-30 seconds, then strain the tea into 2 cups.
Extracting the volatile oils from fresh ginger requires direct contact with simmering water before any dairy enters the pan. Introducing milk too early drops the temperature and coats the spices, blocking water-soluble aromatics from releasing properly into the liquid. Simmering the water, loose black tea, cardamom pods, tea masala, and a portion of the sugar for five minutes builds a concentrated base. Whole cardamom pods should be gently cracked with the flat side of a knife blade before dropping them in to expose the seeds inside. Adding cold milk and the remaining sugar just before the ginger ensures the dairy does not scald while tempering the heat. Letting the ginger steep for only thirty seconds at the end prevents the sharp compounds from overpowering the cardamom and black pepper. Strain the finished liquid immediately through a fine-mesh metal sieve to halt the extraction entirely and prevent the leaves from turning bitter. Texture relies on this strict timing sequence; boiling milk too long separates the proteins and creates an unpleasant chalky mouthfeel.
