a cup of chai

On and off I write about how much I like a good cup of Chai. Brewed perfectly to taste. Black tea. With spices. Milk and Sugar.

This is not so much a precise recipe... but, just a general approach to the pleasures of Chai.

Per cup of Chai, I roughly use a tablespoon of strong plain black tea (loose leaf: orange pekoe, ceylon, darjeeling - whichever is handy) with 10 oz of water. About 2 tablespoon of whole milk. About 1 black cardamom pod, 1 clove, 1 green cardamom preferably crushed, a tiny piece of ginger crushed. About 1½ tablespoon of sugar, more or less, or honey.

Bring all except the sugar to a boil in a pan. Off heat, cover and let it rest a minute. Strain. Stir in sugar or honey. Add more milk, if preferred. Enjoy!

This Chai recipe is a bit different from how I like to serve tea. Brewing tea in a teapot, and serving with milk and sugar on the side is more of a ceremony, enjoyed on a lazy weekend. With some snacks preferably.

Chai is a pick me up. Made without much pomp and splendor. Just a simple cup to wash the blues away...