masala chai (my mom’s blend)
2¼ cups cold water
6 green cardamom pods, lightly bruised (crack them, don’t pulverize)
1 small tej patta, indian bay leaf (optional but beautiful)
½ stick ceylon cinnamon (the delicate kind, not thick cassia)
6 to 8 whole black peppercorns
1½ inches fresh ginger, sliced, not grated
a pinch of fennel seeds (for bengal)
2 heaping teaspoons assam ctc tea
(ctc = granular black tea, find it at indian groceries)
1¼ cups full-fat milk
1½ to 2 tablespoons jaggery (preferred) or sugar
tiny pinch of salt (optional, structural)
bring the water to a thoughtful simmer. small bubbles at the edges, not a rolling boil.
add the aromatics: cardamom, tej patta, cinnamon, peppercorns, fennel, ginger. let the perfume rise for 3 to 4 minutes.
add the assam ctc. reduce the heat and steep for 2 minutes.
(ctc brews fast. that is the point.)
now the milk. pour it in slowly. bring the heat up until the chai swells and almost boils, then calm it. do this twice.
sweeten. jaggery if you can, otherwise sugar. a whisper of salt if you like balance.
let it murmur gently for 5 to 7 minutes, thickening slightly to a deep caramel.
strain into warmed cups. serve immediately. chai is a punctual emotion.
• ginger decides the mood. add more in winter.
• sweetness is relational. adjust according to your life.
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