Place a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add the crushed cardamom pods, cloves, peppercorns and fennel seeds and toast, shaking the pan, until fragrant (about 1–2 minutes). Remove from heat and lightly crush again with a mortar & pestle or the back of a spoon to open the pods and break seeds.

Simmer spices and ginger

In a small saucepan combine 2 cups water, sliced fresh ginger, the toasted and crushed spices, and the cinnamon stick. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Add tea

When the spiced water is simmering, add the black tea leaves (or tea bags). Reduce heat to low and simmer very gently for 4–5 minutes to extract color and aroma without becoming overly bitter.

Add milk and sweetener

Pour in 1 cup whole milk and add 3 tablespoons brown sugar. Bring the mixture back to a low simmer and stir to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for an additional 2–3 minutes to meld flavors. Taste and adjust sweetness if desired (add up to 1 tablespoon more sugar).

Strain concentrate

Remove from heat. Using a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth, strain the chai concentrate into a heatproof container, pressing gently on solids to extract liquid. Discard solids. Let the concentrate cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator until cold (at least 30 minutes). This yields about 2 cups of concentrate; use 1 cup per 16 oz latte.

Latte Build & Finish

Prepare glass

Fill a 16 oz serving glass with 1.5 cups of ice cubes (roughly three-quarters full) so there is room for liquids and a small head.

Assemble the iced latte

Pour 1 cup chilled masala chai concentrate over the ice. Add 1 cup cold milk to the glass. If using vanilla extract, add 1/4 teaspoon now. Stir gently with a long spoon to combine the concentrate and milk evenly.

Top and serve

Optionally dust the surface with a light pinch (about 1/4 tsp) of ground cinnamon. Serve immediately with a straw. If you prefer a frothier top, shake the milk vigorously in a jar or use a milk frother for 10–15 seconds before pouring over the concentrate for a layered look.