Dried Ginger Masala Chai Recipes

Steps:

• Combine ginger, cardamom pods and seeds, peppercorns and 3 cups water in a 5-quart pot. Bring mixture to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the tea and boil 4-5 minutes, until the water is dark brown.
• Add the milk and return to a strong boil until it threatens to boil over, about 4 minutes. (Not all plant based milk will rise when it boils. If yours doesn't, let boil for 30 seconds before continuing with the recipe and lowering the heat.) Place a wooden spoon across the pot to avoid bubbling over. Reduce heat to low, then, when foam has settled, return to medium high heat. Continue to boil for a total of 10 minutes from the time that milk was added, until the liquid has reduced by ⅓ and has a deep tan color. If the foam continues to rise, lower heat slightly.
• Remove from heat. Using a strainer, strain tea into 4 teacups. (For a frothy chai, pour the chai from one cup to another a few times until bubbles form.) Add about 1 tsp. sugar (or more to taste) per cup, and serve immediately.

Steps:

• To a 5-qt pot, add 3 cups water, cardamom pods and seeds, ginger, and pepper and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Then add tea and boil for 4-5 minutes until the water looks darker.
• Add milk and let boil until the foam almost overflows the pot. (Not all plant-based milk will rise when it boils. If yours doesn't, keep it at a rolling boil for 30 seconds before continuing with the recipe.) Place a wooden spoon across the pot to avoid bubbling over, and lower heat briefly. When foam has settled, return to medium heat, continuing to boil for a total of 10 minutes from the time that milk was added, until the liquid has reduced by ⅓ and has a deep tan color. If the foam continues to rise, lower heat slightly.
• Remove from heat. Using a strainer, strain tea into 4 teacups. (For a frothy chai, pour the chai from one cup to another a few times until bubbles form.) Add about 1 tsp. sugar (or more to taste) per cup, and serve immediately.
• Variations
• Swap or add in one or all of these spices to make a different cup of chai: 2 tsp. dried mint, 8 cloves (coarsely crushed), one 4-inch cinnamon stick (crushed into smaller pieces).

Steps:

• Heat the water and milk in a pan with the spices and ginger until it comes to the boil. Turn the heat down and cook over a low to medium heat for 15 minutes. Be careful as the milk can easily rise and boil over
• Once the volume is reduced to a large cupful, add the teabag and let it brew for one minute, or longer if you like strong tea.
• To serve, strain into a cup and add sugar or salt if using, to taste.

Steps:

• special note about spices (If you have a bulk foods or Whole Foods or Vitamin Cottage kind of grocer nearby, get the spices from the bulk section. They often cost 25% what you'd pay for a jar! My total ingredients expense was around $1.50, not including the milk!).
• In a medium-large saucepan, bring about 7 cups water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, add the 6 spices (do not add the tea yet).
• Once the water/spice mixture is boiling, add the tea.
• Boil 5 minutes, then remove from heat. (I know you're never supposed to boil tea, but I found this works just fine. If you don't want to boil the tea, just boil the spices for 5 minutes and steep slightly longer.).
• Stir in the brown sugar (or honey) and vanilla.
• Steep for 8 minutes, then strain into a glass container.
• While you wait for it to cool, pour a mug 2/3 full with your chai and add hot milk to the top. (If it isn't spicy or sweet enough, you can still add more spices to steep - just strain the mixture again before storing.) OR for a real treat, use hot evaporated milk (I wouldn't want this every day, because its a little sweeter and creamier than regular milk.).
• Store in the refrigerator for 7 days (maybe longer, but all chai concentrate containers claim 7 days is best). Note: Normally you'd use 1:1 ratio of chai:milk, but I brew it a little weaker and save $ on milk since I drink so much chai.

Steps:

• For the infusion, put the cardamom seeds in a pestle and mortar, along with the cinnamon, cloves and peppercorns, and bash to release the oils - you don't want to make a powder. Tip into a pan and stir in the ginger and black tea leaves.
• Pour in 400ml water and bring to a very gentle simmer over a low heat, to allow the tea to infuse before it starts to boil. Stir in the milk and sugar or syrup to taste, and remove from the heat. Leave to infuse for 2 mins before straining into mugs.

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a pan.
• Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer 2-3 minutes (for less strong tea, simmer only 2 minutes).
• Let it set for 2 minutes, then simmer again until hot (for less strong tea, let set for one minute, no need to simmer again, it should still be hot).
• Strain and pour into a mug or tea glasses. Sprinkle cinnamon on top.