By 
I learned this recipe after reading Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin. It’s a short, cute PG romance. The cover featured a woman wearing a hijab, so I was hooked. When do you see representation like that? A lighthearted Islamic love story with no struggle or pain? I read it in a day easily. And throughout the story, the characters are constantly drinking chai.
Before reading this book, I would’ve said ‘chai tea’, but I learned in the book ‘chai’ actually means tea in Hindi/Urdu. So, when you say ‘chai tea’, you’re saying ‘tea tea’. And I’m a fancy intellectual, so I just say chai.
Anyways, as I’m reading, I’m thinking to myself, “I want some chai.” And then, the final page of the book is a recipe to the chai! I was hype! This is also where I got the inspiration to include the spaghetti recipe, Emily Gamble cooks in my book Fantasies, in the bonus download. I just thought it was so cool to have a recipe in the back of the book.
All that said, this recipe, like all the others I share, is a starting point I hope you’ll enjoy tweaking. I’ve changed the recipe I learned from the book to make it mine, please do the same. Some chai recipes call for star anise, or even ginger. I don’t use them, but you might like those. I’ve included an Amazon list at the bottom with all the dry ingredients, and the book, to save you a search.
Ingredients
- 3 cups milk (you can use whole milk, oat milk, goat’s milk, whatever)
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp ground cardamom seeds
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 6-8 whole cloves
- 3 tbsp loose leaf orange pekoe tea (or 4 teabags)
- ¼ cup sugar
Ingredient Notes: You can use green or black cardamom. I mix it up. They’re both hella strong, so either will do the trick. I buy them whole, then blitz them myself before using. For the tea, orange pekoe is the best, but I’ve definitely popped some Lipton teabags in there in a pinch. Basically, any black tea will do. I like to use loose leaf, because it makes me feel fancier, like I’m really cooking something from scratch.
Let me repeat, you can use any kind of milk. I do not need emails about your digestion issues and why you use nut milk. Sis, use whatever milk you want. Same goes for the sweetener. You don’t even have to sweeten the tea, but if you do, feel free to use more or less sugar, or a sugar substitute.
Instructions
- Combine milk, water, tea, ground cardamom, cinnamon sticks, and cloves to a pot and bring to a boil. Be careful to watch, and not cover it, because it will overflow and make a milky mess.
- After it comes to a boil, reduce the heat, and cover the pot.
- Allow to simmer for 20-minutes, and then remove it from the heat.
- Strain the tea to remove the tea and seasonings.
- Add the sugar and stir well.
- Enjoy it hot, or refrigerate it and have it cold. I like to pour it over ice, then add a double espresso. This is called a dirty chai. You’re welcome.
I made an Amazon list with all the dry ingredients and Ayesha At Last, the book that taught me the recipe – click here for the list.
Lastly, look out for my crowdfunding campaign to get myself a really nice tea set. I saw this one at the Intercontinental hotel in Bali, and feel like I’ll be a much better person once I own one.
Okay, bye sis. If you make this recipe, let me know how you like it and how/if you change it.
