Tea  or Coffee it is that divides the world into two seemingly equal halves. I have seen the steaming coffee mugs make their way to the wake up alarm for a millennium in USA, ‘Masala Chai’ aka Spice Tea is the magic mantra in India. From little kids to adults, it is the rave in all Indian Households and few like me are the ‘weirdos’ who have departed the eternal bliss before even dating it. The chai walas – hawkers on streets that sell these in little glass mugs could be called the popular anchors for soap opera discussions, office conversations or a ‘hot date’.

Here is the recipe of Typical Indian tea that most west-east, north and south Indians drink daily morning and evening. You are lucky! This article comes with my YouTube tutorial

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE FOR ONE PERSON:

11/4 cup drinking water

1 inch piece of ginger

2 pinches of tea spice

1 Tbsp of INDIAN Tea Leaves – any brand but Indian tea only

3/4th to 1 Tbsp of Sugar

 

BEGIN

I 1/4th cup drinking water

Start to boil

Grate 1 inch piece of ginger in the water

 

Add 2 pinches of tea spice = chai (tea) masala to the water ~ buy from any Indian grocery store or online

Simmer 3 minutes

 

Tea leaves 1 Tbsp

Sugar 1 Tbsp – More or less may be added as per requirement. No sugar won’t bring out tea’s flavor. Some sugar is needed. Please don’t use zero calorie sugar or honey!

Boil and then simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. The more you simmer, the stronger the taste. I prefer just 7 minutes

Add 1/2 cup milk – 2% cow’s milk: doesn’t matter organic or non-organic

Boil, allow to rise, reduce stove to slow – medium

Simmer 5-7 minutes

Strain using minute net strainer

Serve  hot with tea biscuits (cookies)

   

FOR 2 PEOPLE: 2 1/2 cups water, 11/2 Tbsp Tea leaves and same quantity of sugar, ginger and  spice.