Ginger Cardamom Chai
My friend Ruchi, of The Tiffin Kitchen, is a tea goddess! Guys, she knows so much about tea and knows exactly what to do with it. She’s so talented with tea that she’s actually studying to be a tea sommelier! Ruchi is so great at sharing all of her knowledge with others and I really appreciate her for that.
A really cool thing she offers is Chai High Tea events. Not only does she have public pop-ups throughout the year, but she also facilitates Chai High Teas in your home. How cool is that?
When I was asked to collaborate to celebrate Pan-Asian culture, Ruchi was one of the first people to come to mind. Her knowledge about chai, spices, and the food of her culture is inspiring, and I knew she would be more than happy to share.
Trust me, you will be making this recipe every day!
From Ruchi: “There's nothing like fresh ginger (adhu) and cardamom (elaichi) in a steaming milky cup of masala chai. Ginger can be a wild card though and can curdle the milk if its too acidic which is no fun. This recipe has plenty of ginger flavor, and the two types of ginger are easy to keep in your pantry for a while, which makes it more quarantine friendly. The sugar in the crystalized ginger really brings the flavors of this chai together for a nice subtle sweetness. I love making chai with lots of ginger when I'm not feeling well, or to help settle an upset stomach. The trick is to really simmer the ginger and cardamom for a good 7-10 minutes before adding the tea.”
Ginger Cardamom Chai
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 3/4 cup 2% milk
- 2 cardamom pods, crushed with shell (can sub 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder)
- 2 large pieces of crystallized ginger (about 20 grams)
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
- 2 heaping teaspoons black tea (preferably CTC Assam tea)
- 2 teaspoons sugar or sweetener of choice (optional)
Instructions
- Heat water on the stove and add both kinds of ginger and cardamom.
- Bring to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add two heaping tsp of black tea, bring to a boil for about a minute.
- Add milk and sugar if using and bring to a boil, watching carefully as your chai will begin to rise.
- Pull off of the heat briefly before it boils over, let it settle and then bring to a boil again.
- Strain into two cups and enjoy!
Notes:
This popcorn will last 2-3 days in an airtight container before it reaches a stale texture. I seriously doubt you’ll have any leftovers, though!
Please note that our blogs and recipes might include affiliate links, which help Tanorria earn commission on items you purchase from her recommendations at no additional cost to you.