Masala Chai

There is no single right way to make chai — every house has a version — but there are wrong ways, and most of them involve teabags steeped in lukewarm milk. The point of masala chai is the boil. You bruise the spices, you boil the water with them, you boil the milk in, and you finish with sugar. The whole thing takes ten minutes and tastes like the inside of someone's kitchen.

Ingredients

• 4 green cardamom pods
• 4 whole black peppercorns
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, smashed flat with the side of a knife
• 1 small cinnamon stick or a piece of cassia bark
• 1 whole clove
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 heaped teaspoons loose black tea (Assam or any strong CTC)
• 2 to 3 teaspoons sugar, to taste

Method

1. Lightly crush the cardamom pods open with the side of a knife. Drop them into a small saucepan along with peppercorns, ginger, cinnamon, and clove.
2. Add the water. Bring to a boil over high heat and let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes, until the kitchen smells like cardamom.
3. Add the tea. Boil another minute — the water will turn deep mahogany.
4. Pour in the milk and sugar. Bring back to a boil, watching carefully so it doesn't climb the pot. Once it foams up, lower the heat and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes more — this is where the color and richness come from.
5. Strain into two cups and drink hot. The first sip is always the best.

A note: No fennel seeds, no star anise, no nutmeg in mine — just the five spices above. If you want more of any flavor, add more of that thing next time. Chai is a recipe to learn by feel, not by gram.