Chai Tea Recipe (serves 2)

  • 250ml water
  • 250ml whole milk (or oat/almond milk)
  • 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 1cm piece fresh ginger, sliced (or 1/4 tsp ground ginger)
  • 4 whole black peppercorns
  • 2 tsp loose leaf black tea (Assam or Darjeeling) or 2 black tea bags
  • 1–2 tsp sugar or honey (to taste)
  1. 1

    Simmer spices in water

    Combine water and all the spices in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes — this blooms the spices and extracts their oils and flavour into the water.

  2. 2

    Add tea and steep 3 minutes

    Add the tea leaves or bags. Reduce to a very low simmer and steep for 3 minutes. Do not boil vigorously — this makes the tea bitter.

  3. 3

    Add milk and simmer 2 minutes

    Pour in the milk. Increase heat slightly and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes — this integrates the milk with the spiced tea and creates a richer, creamier result than adding milk at the end.

  4. 4

    Sweeten and strain

    Add sugar or honey to taste. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into cups or mugs. Serve immediately.

Customise your chaiMore ginger for extra warmth and spice. More cardamom for a floral, perfumed quality. Star anise for a slightly liquorice note. Nutmeg for warmth. Vanilla bean for sweetness. The spice combination is personal — adjust to what you love most.

Iced Chai Latte

Make the chai at double strength (half the water, all the milk). Let cool. Pour over ice in a tall glass. Top with cold foam or extra cold milk. Sweeten with simple syrup rather than regular sugar which does not dissolve in cold liquid.

Chai Concentrate (Make Ahead)

Make a batch using only water (no milk) at double strength. Strain and refrigerate for up to 1 week. To serve: warm equal parts concentrate and milk, or pour over ice with cold milk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Technically, "chai" simply means tea in Hindi — so "chai tea" is redundant (it means tea tea). "Masala chai" means spiced tea. In Western coffee culture, "chai" has come to mean the spiced milk tea. Masala chai is the authentic Indian preparation — the recipe above is a simplified masala chai-style drink. Traditional Indian masala chai varies by region and household with different spice combinations.
Yes — ground spices work but produce a slightly different result. Use: 1/4 tsp ground cardamom, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ground cloves, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, pinch of black pepper. Add ground spices with the tea (not at the start) and strain carefully as they do not dissolve fully. Whole spices produce a cleaner, more aromatic chai.