Masala Chai

I'm a beverage lover, be it tea or coffee i simply love both. Recently, when i went to Kerala for year end holiday, managed to grabbed few packets of tea and coffee powder. Yes! That's me..whenever i travel to India i always bring back their beverage mixture home. Somehow, i feel India has the best tea and coffee powder especially when brewed with fresh milk. Vagamon in Kerala are known for their vast tea plantations. The lushiest green hills are perfect for a good quality tea. Tea shops are to be found in every hook and nook and they served the best tea. We had countless hot steaming milky cuppa throught our holiday. Since, i love the their tea so much, brought back few packets of their precious tea. Back home i boiled the tea leaves with assorted Indian spices to make a perfect cuppa of masala chai...most probably, one of the famous tea in the world. We all know spices are good or various health reason and most of us loath the taste of spices in our food but when it comes in the form of masala chai, no more refusal. Infused with aromatic spices with strong tea decoction and frothy fresh milk, there's no better way to enjoy your cuppa.



Ingredients

1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tbsp loose tea leaves
2 cups water
1"inch ginger,washed & peeled
1/2" inch cinnamon stick
5-6 pods cardamom
4 cloves
1 star anise
1 1/2 tbsp sugar

Methods

Using a spice grinder, grind cardamom pods,cinnamon stick,star anise and cloves into a fine powder

Using a mortar, crushed the ginger.

Boil water and add ground spices and crushed ginger. Boil for 2  minutes. Add the tea leaves and boil another minute. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer the concoction for 4-5 minutes.

Add milk and sugar. Stir till sugar dissolved. Increase heat and boil for 1 minute.

Using a strainer, strain the tea into a mug.

Serve hot immediately