(photo by Design Sponge)
I can't compare Jakarta's monsoon season with wintertime in Europe, but there's the same kind of feeling where you want to cozy up in bed with a nice hot drink, and when I saw this recipe for homemade chai tea, I wanted to make it straight away! Unfortunately I haven't bought the ingredients, but I thought I'd share the recipe since I've always been curious how you make chai tea :)
A Perfect Mug of Chai
- 4 c. cold water
- 4–6 cardamom pods* (depending how intense you like your chai)
- 4–6 cloves (per above)
- 4–6 black peppercorns (optional)
- 2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, chopped (optional)
- 4 tsp. black tea (I use Darjeeling. You can also use three tea bags.)
- 4–6 tsp. raw honey (to your preference)
- 1/4 c. milk
*You’ll need to bruise your cardamom pods before adding them to the water, in order to expose the seeds inside. I do this by hitting them with the back of a spoon. Once cracked open, place the whole thing into the pot — pod, seeds and all!
1. Add water and spices to a medium-sized stainless-steel pot. Bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Reduce heat to low, place tea in a tea strainer and add to a pot along with honey and milk. Simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, cover and steep for 5 minutes longer.
4. Remove and compost tea, and pour chai in two large mugs. I like to leave the spices in, but you can discard them if you prefer.
5. Sip and smile!
