Lightly crush the cardamom pods with the side of a knife and smash the ginger (no need to peel if clean). This releases the essential oils and flavor.

Simmer

In a medium saucepan combine 3 cups water, smashed ginger, crushed cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, and star anise (if using). Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low and simmer uncovered for 8 minutes to extract spice flavors.

Add tea & milk

After 8 minutes, add the 4 tablespoons of black tea leaves and 1 cup whole milk to the saucepan. Raise the heat until it comes just to a simmer (do not let it vigorously boil), then reduce heat and simmer gently for 3 minutes. This steeps the tea and melds milk with spices.

Sweeten & steep

Stir in 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (adjust to taste). Remove the saucepan from heat and let the mixture steep, covered, for 5–8 minutes for stronger flavor.

Strain

Strain the concentrate through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a heatproof container, pressing the solids to extract liquid. Discard solids. You should have roughly 2 to 2 1/2 cups of chai concentrate.

Cool

Let the concentrate cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes), then refrigerate until cold (at least 1 hour). For faster cooling, transfer to a shallow container and ice-bath briefly.

Icing & Assembly (per 16 oz serving)

Fill a 16 oz serving glass about three-quarters full with ice cubes (approximately 1 cup).

Pour 1 cup chilled chai concentrate over the ice.

Add 1/2 cup cold milk or plant-based milk to the glass. Adjust milk quantity to reach 16 oz and to taste — for a creamier drink use more milk, for stronger chai use less.

If additional sweetness is desired, stir in 1 teaspoon simple syrup (or dissolve 1 tsp sugar). Taste and adjust.

Garnish with a light dusting of ground cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg if desired. Serve immediately with a straw.