4 bags of black tea

1-1/2 quarts of water

10 cardamom seeds

2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half

1 pinch whole black pepper

3 tablespoons of sugar

milk to taste

10 minutes

Steep: The act of suspending something in a hot solution to extract flavor and color (to soak!).

Cardamom: Indian spice that is packaged whole (white or pale green pods) or in seed-form (small, black, aromatic seeds). Now widely available.

Take care not to burn the milk

Whole milk makes a richer chai

You may choose to reduce the sugar (or use honey); just know that sugar enhances the flavor of the spices.

2torial #0563: Learn2 Make Chai "Any more instant coffee or boiled weeds and I'm gonna snap!" Tired of coffee and bored with dishwater-flavored herbal tea? Indian chai has pleased the taste buds of the sub-continent for centuries, is now making a splash in the U.S. Don't let its trendiness fool you, though: chai is a nice change of pace from coffee or herbal tea. We have presented a recipe that is better suited to the Western tastebuds. There is another reputed version wherein all the above ingredients are combined and then boiled together for a few minutes. If you're really curious, give it a try and let us know how you like it! It's quite a strong brew. Otherwise you can vary the time in Step 4 to change its intensity. Boil the water In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Catch it before it has boiled too long or the tea will have a flat taste. Mix the spices Add the tea bags, cardamom, cinnamon, and black pepper. Return to boil. Add the sugar Immediately add the sugar. Stir. Steep it in the pot Remove the pot from the heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes to bring out the spices and tea flavor. Pour into tiny cups, the smallest you can find That is, if you want to serve it Indian-style. Add in the milk until the color resembles somewhat well-creamed coffee. You may want to experiment down the line with the tea and milk content. Serve to your delighted friends Serves four. Again, for true Indian-style, serve with "Parve," "Gluco," or "Good Day Cashew" biscuits. These are mind-bendingly sweet shortbread cookies palatable only to Indians, mostly; available only in Indian grocery stores. Any western version will suffice. -end- Learn More!