I was making this for one of the weekly challenges. Unfortunately, life got in the way so I am just finishing this now.

Commonly called Chai tea by westerners, a name which is kind of like saying ATM Machine, Masala Chai or Chai is a distinctive style of milk-based tea consumed through-out the Indian sub-continent and into southeast Asia. Chai has a warm spice note in combination with the heat and soothing properties from the warmed milk that make it very relaxing to consume. In India, chai is consumed at any time and weather. It is not only consumed with meals but is also commonly served to customer in shops (such as jewelry stores) or purchased from roadside vendors called chai wallahs. This drink is incredibly simple to make and is the perfect drink for a cold winter day. The recipe I am following was taught to me by my wife (who is from India), who learned it from her mother (who still lives in India). It is a more simple, everyday, home version of the chai encountered in Indian restaurants.

For those who are looking for a fun and easy alternative to the traditional holiday drinks. Try adding cinnamon and nutmeg to the ginger and cardamom for a festive, rich and warming holiday drink.

Step 1: Items Needed

Items Needed:

-A small pot

-A tea strainer (or some other wire mesh strainer)

-Chai Tea Leaves - these are a special type of strong tea leaf where the tea leaves are cured in a way whichs causes them to curl up into a ball. These can easily be found at your local Indo/Pak grocery store for around $3-6/box (enough to last more than a year of daily tea making). They look a lot like peppercorns in the image I posted. Some common brands are Taj Mahal and Red Label.

Milk - whole milk tastes better but skim is acceptable

-Sweetener - take your pick. You can use pretty much anything which can provide sweetness and withstand the heat. You can use sugar, brown sugar, molasses, Splenda, jaggery (a type of unprocessed brown sugar block commonly used in rural India) or any other sweeter of your choice.

-Spices - The spices used in chai vary greatly depending on the region and how complex or simple you want to make it. The spices used vary from rose to salt to fennel seeds and more. For a simple route to a more complex chai; you can purchase a Masala Chai Spice mix at most Indo/Pak. In this instructable we will be making a more simple homemade version so we will be using either ginger root or cardamom (green or black is acceptable). The cardamom (like most other spices) can be purchased pretty inexpensively once again from your local Indo/Pak grocery store, especially in comparison to the cost of spices at American grocery stores. Do not substitute cadamom powder, it doesn't have near the flavor and it won't strain out as nicely.
One of my favourite chais... but i have to ask. why do on indians call it chai tea?
<p>It's the Non-Indians do it, not Indians. Have u ever seen or heard and Indian calling it Chai Tea? That would like saying Tea tea and would be very silly!</p>
Are you asking, why do no indians call it chai tea? Typically because the word chai in Hindi means tea.
I am indian. I know that it means tea. I'm asking why others call it chai tea since it literally translates into tea tea. (not being rude, it's a genuine doubt)
I believe it is because Chai tea refers to spices infused tea, generally a milk based recipe as well.<br>Is this Marsala tea?<br>
<p>Now where did this R in Masala come from? First, non-Indians call it Chai tea which is like saying Tea tea, and now you spell Masala as Marsala! This is silly n annoying!</p>
<p>nobody calls it chai tea in india (just the westerners or the NRI's do)</p><p>we just say chai or tea</p><p>we are not stupid </p><p>by the way not being rude its a genuine answer</p>
My apologies. I think partly because tea to most westerners is water based. So by calling it chai tea, it denotes that it is the Indian type of tea, though the tea part is redundant. Additionally, the english language, at least in its colloquial form, has no problem with redundancy. Look at how many times you see people refer to ATM machines or use phrases like &quot;Can you repeat that again?&quot;
<p>Because if you don't know Indian - then you don't know that chai means Tea... - Just our ignorance of the Indian language. Therefore if we don't say Chai Tea - no one knows what we are talking about.......</p><p>Hey, I just discovered that chai means tea - so I've been just as ignorant as the rest.</p>
<p>It's unusual to make chai with all-milk (no water). I think 2 parts <br>water to one part milk is more typical...or 50/50 milk/water would be <br>considered quite milky but not unusual.</p>
<p>tis looks dileshis</p>
<p>This is awesome! EXACTLY what I was looking for. Thank you!</p>
So nice! I want some now.
<p>If you wanna try Masala Chai you will need a number of organic ingredients and make it at your home. Or come India (Specially Himalayas) to taste the real masala tea.</p>
I like this recipe but I was wondering, wow much cardamom and ginger do you use per person?
Sorry I should have included that in there.<br><br>Green cardamom: I use 3-5 (you can use more or less depending on taste and the size of the pods). <br>Ginger: I use a chunk around a 1-cm thick 1-inch in diamter.<br><br>And yes I just used metric and imperial measurements in the same sentience. :P

About This Instructable




More by PedroDaGr8:Measuring Capacitor Health (tan δ vs ESR) Quantum Dot LEDs: Making custom color LEDs How to make Masala Chai (Indian Chai Tea) 
Add instructable to: