Bob and I don't normally drink tea. It's simply not our beverage of choice. That, however, changed, at least temporarily, while we were in India. Brewed coffee was extremely difficult to find and, rather than have a cup made from instant granules, we switched to tea. Our tour guide introduced us to Masala Chai at a rest stop en route from Delhi to Agra. It wasn't bad. Better still, he shared his family recipe for the tea with us. While it's a bit more work that your standard cuppa, the recipe is really simple and nearly foolproof. Use a teaspoon of tea leaves for each cup of tea you want to brew and don't forget to add another for the pot. Spice and sugar up or down as personal taste dictates. Indian Chai tends to be very sweet, but you can cut back if you like. The tea is good enough that the recipe should not be kept a secret. I hope you'll give it a try. It's a great alternative to English tea.
Masala Chai...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite
Ingredients:
1 cup water
4 teaspoons Darjeeling or other loose black tea
2 to 3 crushed cardamom pods
1-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, smashed
2 cups milk
3 to 6 teaspoons sugar
Directions:
1) Place water in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a simmer.
2) Add loose tea leaves to water. Stir in crushed cardamom pods and smashed ginger.
3) Add milk and bring mixture to a rolling boil. Simmer, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes.
4) Add sugar to taste. Simmer for 1 minute longer, or until sugar is fully dissolved.
5) Strain mixture through a strainer into cups or tempered glasses. Yield: 3 servings.
You might also enjoy these recipes:
How Do I Love Tea? Let Me Count the Ways - Home Cooking Rocks
How to Make A Perfect Cup of Tea - Noble Pig
Homemade Mystic Chai Mix Powder - My Favorite Recipes
Chocolate Chai Pie - The Sensitive Pantry
Mugi-Chai: A Japanese Twist on Masala Chai - La Fuji Mama
Chai Shortbread - Don't Forget Delicious
Chai - Simply Recipes
Chai Tea Cupcakes - Sunny-Side Up Recipes
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