Lupin Free Masala Chai

Total time20 min

Prep time5 min

Cook time15 min

4.6

(15)

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 — cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorn, and ginger — are simmered together until the water turns fragrant and golden before the tea and milk ever hit the pot. That layered approach is what separates a truly great cup from anything you'd get out of a powder packet or a coffee shop drive-through. The milk gets added last and brought to a gentle boil, which gives the finished chai that signature caramel color and a richness that feels almost indulgent. Every single ingredient here is naturally free from lupin, so there's no label-scanning or substitution stress involved — just straightforward, wholesome pantry staples doing exactly what they're supposed to do. Strain it into your favorite mug, adjust the sugar to your liking, and you've got a cup that's cozy, complex, and completely your own.

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Ingredients

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
2–3 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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