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Chai

Added 4/Oct/2018

Barinder’s chai

Main ingredients

• 4 teaspoons of fennel seeds
• 5 cardamom pods, crushed with mortar and pestle
• 3 black cloves
• 5 black pepper corns, crushed
• half a stick of cinnamon
• half a teaspoon of ajwain
• the equivalent* of three teabags

(* I normally use loose-leaf tea. If using bags, I rip them open and put the tea in the saucepan)

Method

1. Boil three cups of water in a saucepan.
2. When boiling, put the main ingredients in, and let it boil for 4 minutes.
3. Put one and a half cups of milk in the saucepan (the more fat in the milk, the better), and bring to the boil.
4. When boiling, reduce heat and let it simmer for 4 minutes.
5. Put in sugar or honey as required.

Notes

I tend to use less milk than this; but traditional chai has near equal parts milk and water. I’ve just never managed to get it tasting good when I do this myself, although my mum can do it. I also use honey.

This is a template – you’re going to have to experiment with it to get it to the taste you like. Be careful with the cardamom and ajwain – too much of either, especially too much cardamon, makes the tea very bitter. On the other hand, I find that liberal use of fennel gives it a refreshing taste. You’ll just have to experiment!

Deepthi’s chai

Method

1. Boil water, about 1 cup
2. Add grated fresh ginger - roughly 2 tsp
3. Add a bit of cardamom, crushed whole incl husks in mortar -> not mandatory
4. 3 tea bags -> open and boil for 3-4 minutes
5. Add milk (1/3 cup) and let it boil for another 2 minutes.
6. Bonus: Add sugar / honey

Notes

If you’re using Red Label tea, use 1-1.5 tsp of tea powder. You want ctc tea.