Beef Free Masala Chai
Warm, spiced, and deeply aromatic, this homemade chai is the kind of drink that makes you slow down and actually enjoy your morning. Whole spices ā cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, and fresh ginger ā are simmered together until the water turns fragrant and richly tinted, building a flavor base that no powder or syrup can replicate. The black tea goes in next, deepening the color to a gorgeous amber before the milk transforms everything into that signature creamy, caramel-toned cup. Bringing it all just to a gentle boil and letting it simmer together is what gives this chai its rounded, cohesive flavor rather than a sharp or one-note spice hit. It's naturally free of any meat-based ingredients ā just pantry staples and whole spices doing exactly what they're meant to do. Strain it into your favorite mug, adjust the sugar to your liking, and you've got a coffeehouse-worthy drink made entirely on your own stovetop.
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Learn more āIngredients
4 servings
- 8 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1 cinnamon stick (about 3 inches)
- 4 whole cloves
- 6 black peppercorns
- 1 inch fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- 1 star anise (optional)
- 2 cups water
- 3 tsp loose-leaf black tea or 3 black tea bags (such as assam or darjeeling)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2ā3 tbsp sugar, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
Combine the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns, ginger, and star anise (if using) in a medium saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes, until the water is fragrant and lightly tinted.
- 2
Add the black tea and simmer for 2 minutes, until the liquid is a deep amber-brown.
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