Bahti Chai Recipe

Crush spices

Lightly crush the green cardamom pods and black peppercorns with the flat side of a knife or a mortar and pestle to just open the pods and bruise the peppercorns. This releases the aroma without pulverizing them.

Prepare ginger for boiling

Peel and thinly slice the 1-inch piece of fresh ginger designated for boiling. Keep aside.

Combine liquids and spices

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup water and 3 cups whole milk. Add the crushed cardamom, bruised peppercorns, and the sliced ginger for boiling.

Heat and infuse

Place the saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer — watch closely to prevent milk from boiling over. Once it begins to steam and small bubbles form at the edges (about 5–7 minutes), reduce heat to low and let it gently infuse for 4 minutes so the milk picks up the spice flavors.

Add tea leaves and simmer

Add 3 tsp loose black tea leaves to the simmering spiced milk. Increase heat slightly to bring the mixture to a low boil; once it rises to a gentle boil, immediately reduce to a simmer and continue cooking for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally. This extracts a strong, malty tea flavor typical of bahti chai.

Strain

Remove the saucepan from heat. Strain the tea through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a heatproof bowl or teapot to remove tea leaves, sliced ginger, and whole spices.

Make fresh ginger juice

Peel the 1.5-inch piece of fresh ginger reserved for juicing. Finely grate it on a microplane or with the small holes of a box grater. Place the grated ginger in the center of a clean cheesecloth or a fine-mesh sieve and press or squeeze firmly over a small bowl to extract the juice. Expect about 1/2 to 1 tsp of concentrated ginger juice; adjust by taste.

Sweeten the chai

While the tea is still hot, add 3 tsp granulated sugar and stir until fully dissolved. If using honey instead, allow the tea to cool for a minute (so it does not destroy honey’s enzymes) and then stir in 1 tsp honey. Taste and add more sweetener if you prefer a sweeter bahti chai.

Add ginger juice

Add the freshly extracted ginger juice to the sweetened, strained chai. Stir well to incorporate. Taste and add additional ginger juice (in 1/4 tsp increments) if you want a stronger fresh-ginger brightness. Fresh juice will provide a sharp, bright ginger note distinct from the cooked ginger in the base.

Divide the finished bahti chai between 3-4 warmed cups (about 3 to 4 servings depending on cup size). Garnish each cup with an optional thin fresh ginger slice and a whole cardamom pod if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

Storage: Any leftover chai can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Reheat gently on the stove; if separated, whisk briefly to recombine. Add a touch more fresh ginger juice after reheating if the ginger flavor has diminished.