Masala Chai Spiced Milk Tea

Gather your whole spices: green cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick, and black peppercorns if using. For the ginger, peel and either grate it finely or lightly crush it using a mortar and pestle.

In a mortar and pestle, gently crush the green cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick, and black peppercorns. You want to break them open to release their aroma, not grind them into a powder. Combine with the prepared ginger.

In a saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the crushed spices and ginger to the boiling water. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes, allowing the flavors to infuse.

Increase the heat to medium. Add the black tea leaves to the simmering spice mixture. Immediately pour in the 2 cups of whole milk. Stir gently.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent milk from sticking to the bottom. The chai should develop a rich color and strong aroma. The longer you simmer, the stronger the flavor.

Add sugar to taste and stir until dissolved. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Carefully strain the Masala Chai through a fine-mesh sieve directly into serving cups, ensuring all spice solids and tea leaves are removed.

Pour the hot Masala Chai into individual mugs or traditional Indian chai glasses (kulhads). Serve immediately and enjoy the comforting warmth and aromatic flavors.