Fall is (almost) here! Time to bundle up, cozy up, and drink up some delicious, sweet- you guessed it, honey masala chai, commonly referred to in the U.S. as “chai tea”! After making this recipe, you’ll not only have a steaming cup of yummy tea in your hand but you’ll also have a home filled with the comforting aroma of these delectable spices.
Chai is an age-old black, spiced tea that has been popular in India for years and has a complex history of colonialism and rebellion. What Americans know as “chai tea” would actually be more accurately described as “masala chai”, meaning “spiced tea”. “Chai” actually means “tea” in Hindi, so when you are saying “chai tea” you are basically saying “tea tea”. Other languages where they refer to “tea” as “chai” or “cha” include Russian, Turkish, Japanese, Persian, Bosnian, Swahili, Urdu, Mandarin, Punjabi, Tibetan, Bengali, and so many more.
Masala chai is often sweetened with milk and or sugar. In this recipe, we’re using our very own Chai Infused Honey to give this tea recipe a touch of sweet. Our regularly flavored honey has very strong botanical flavors, which could take away from the pungency of the spices, which is why our Chai Infused Honey is perfect. It gives you the sweetness of honey and simultaneously strengthens the taste of the spice in a subtle, sweet way. Our other infused flavors that would be delicious with this recipe include Pepper, Orange Clove, and Cinnamon. Our infused flavors come in 13oz, 5.5oz, and 3oz sized jars. Right now, you can mix and match any 3 of our 3oz jars for a discount!
Ingredients (2 servings)
- 16 crushed cardamom pods
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon whole black pepper
- 1 tablespoon CTC Assam tea
- 1 1/2 cup milk of choice
- 2 tablespoons GLBC Chai Infused Honey
Instructions:
- Boil 1 1/2 cups of water with the spices
- Add tea and let steep in boiling water for 5 minutes
- Add milk and let pot fill with foam
- Add wooden spoon over pot to prevent bubbling over and lower heat briefly when needed
- Let boil for 10 minutes, until water has reduced and color is deep tan
- Remove from heat and strain into cups
- Add honey to taste and pour from cup to cup to create frothiness
What’s great about homemade chai is it’s completely customizable- you can add whatever spices you prefer. Try out different variations using dried mint, cloves, and cinnamon. Switch up the amounts of spices and milk to fit your unique taste and caffeine tolerance. Most importantly, never use the redundant phrase of “chai tea” again!
Find the original recipe from Epicurious writer and masala chai lover Leena Trivedi-Grenier at this link here. She has other great chai recipes to try out, like this iced chai.