Masala Chai (Indian Spiced Tea)

Chai! There are literally hundreds of recipes for Indian Spiced Tea (Masala Chai) and each one with its special twist. Here is the way it is prepared outside of the Tilak Ayurved Mahavidyalaya in Pune for the Ayurvedic medical students taking a break between classes.

Quantity: For 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 inch Ginger root

• ¼ inch Cinnamon stick

• ¼ tsp. Cardamom powder

• 1/8 tsp. Ground Nutmeg

• 4 Cloves (whole)

• ¼ cup Milk, rice milk or soy milk

• 1 tsp. Black tea

• 1 tsp. Honey (stevia, agave)

Procedure: To a small pot add 2 cups of water, all the herbal ingredients and the milk. Do not add the black tea or honey yet. Bring to a gentle boil. Now add the black tea and let the mixture simmer. After letting simmer for 2 to three minutes, depending how strong you want the tea, strain into kettle and serve. Only then add the honey as per requirement into the individual cups. Enjoy!

Variation: Quantities of the ingredients can be adjusted depending upon the strength of the tea desired.