House Chai Recipe

1. Crush and measure spices

Lightly crush the cardamom pods and peppercorns with the flat side of a knife or a mortar and pestle. Break the cinnamon stick in half if large. Measure out cloves and set all spices aside.

2. In a small saucepan, combine 2 cups water, the sliced/smashed ginger, crushed cardamom, cloves, crushed peppercorns and the cinnamon stick. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.

3. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 6–8 minutes to let the spices infuse and mellow. For a stronger spice flavor, simmer up to 10 minutes.

4. After the spice simmer, add 2 tablespoons of black tea leaves to the saucepan and stir. Increase heat slightly to bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduce immediately and simmer for 2–3 minutes to brew the tea to a strong, robust flavor.

5. Add 1 cup whole milk to the saucepan and stir to combine. Warm the mixture gently — do not let it boil vigorously, which can scald the milk. Heat until steaming and tiny bubbles form at the edges, about 2–3 minutes.

6. Stir in 3 teaspoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon honey and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Taste and adjust sweetness to preference (add up to 1 additional teaspoon sugar or honey if desired). If using, stir in 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract.

7. Turn off the heat and let the chai steep for 1–2 minutes to marry flavors. Using a fine-mesh strainer set over a teapot or directly over cups, strain the chai to remove tea leaves, ginger and whole spices.

8. Pour the strained chai into two cups (about 1 cup per serving). Garnish each cup with a light dusting of ground cinnamon and, optionally, a star anise for presentation.

9. Serve immediately while hot. Leftover chai can be refrigerated for up to 48 hours; gently reheat on the stove without boiling before serving.