Chi Tea

[Owlie]

My favorite commercial chai: Revolution Tea's Bombay Chai, or the Stash stuff. Rishi chai if I feel like doing the work. Teavana...the tea is good, the spice mix is good, but why is there vanilla in it?!

My own recipe (adapted from Madhur Jaffery's) is better...at least I think so.
Makes one cup, or two small ones. I double it, most of the time.
1.5 cups water
8 cloves
8 green cardamom pods
1 stick of cinnamon
1 slice of ginger, ~1/4 in. thick*
2/3 cup milk (I use 1% or 2% if I'm sharing with DBF)
Sugar to taste
~1 tbsp unscented black tea (I use some nice loose Assam, in a tea ball)

Bring water and spices to a boil. Reduce heat, add the milk. Allow it to simmer for 10 minutes or so. Add the sugar. Remove from heat, add the tea and allow to steep for 5 minutes.
*my family has always sliced and frozen ginger, so that's the form I use it in. I have no idea what that actually corresponds to as a measurement.