Easy Homemade Chai

Back in the day, spices in my tea just didn’t fly well with me.  On my chicken, in my rice, on some veggies, sure.  But in my tea…no, thank you.

At nearly every Islamic function I’ve attended, Chai has always been offered. (There is a large Indian and Pakistani population in the Bay Area.)  I would always pass it up for a different beverage.  Out of curiosity once, I tired it.  And hated it. 

As I grew older and my palette matured, I began to really appreciate the flavors that it offered.  During my pregnancy with Zaynab, I craved it all the time.  I can only request my best friend to make it so many times before it becomes obnoxious.  So I asked for the recipe and began making it regularly.

The recipe started out really simple.  Water, tea bags, cardamon pods, and condensed milk.  The taste was light but hit the spot perfectly.  Then I began to explore more spices as I researched more chai recipes online.  In the end I came up with this mixture that works well for me.  Is it authentic chai? Most likely not.  Does it taste good? Absolutely.

Easy Homemade Chai

Ingredients:

• 8 cups water
• 6-8 cardamon pods, split open
• 3-5 cloves
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 2-3 small cinnamon sticks
• 3 black tea bags
• 1 vanilla tea bag
• 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Directions:

In a large tea potadd the water, cardamon pods, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and fennel seeds. Bring to a boil.  Lower heat and allow to boil for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. 

Add all four tea bags.  Lower heat to medium low and steep for 10 minutes.

Remove tea bags.  Add the condensed milk, stirring well to fully incorporate.  Stir occasionally to avoid the milk scalding on the bottom of the pot.  After 5 minutes, turn off heat.  Let sit for a few minutes longer before serving.  Strain the tea upon serving.

Notes:

• Use a saucepan if your tea pot doesn’t accommodate 8 cups of water.
• For a more pronounced taste from the spices, use the highest suggested amount.  For a subtle taste, the least suggested amount.
• If you don’t have vanilla tea bags, add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract at the end after you have turned off the stove.
• For a less sweeter chai, do not use the entire can of condensed milk.
• This also tastes really good chilled. 

This drink is really popular in our house.  My girls and husband love it.  It’s a nice break from coffee or hot chocolate.  I’ll make a large pot and store it in a plastic jug in the fridge to warm up through out the week.  It’s usually gone by the next day.