Stovetop masala chai

In India, chai is cooked, not steeped: spices, tea, milk and sugar simmered together in a pan. Every household has its own mix. This is a good place to start.

For two cups

• 250 ml water
• 250 ml whole milk (or an oat milk made for heating)
• 6 g strong black tea: Assam, or a masala chai blend (then leave out the spices below)
• 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• A small piece of cinnamon stick
• 4 thin slices of fresh ginger
• 2 cloves and 3 black peppercorns
• 2 to 3 teaspoons of sugar, to taste

Method

1. Simmer the spices. Put the water, ginger and whole spices in a small pan and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the water turns golden and fragrant.
2. Add the tea and simmer for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the liquid is dark.
3. Add the milk and sugar. Bring it up until it starts to rise in the pan, then lower the heat and let it settle. Let it rise and fall two or three times. This thickens the chai and pulls the flavour together.
4. Strain into cups through a fine strainer, and drink it hot.

Make it yours

• More ginger and pepper for a chai with a kick; a pinch of fennel for sweetness.
• Crush the spices just before brewing. Whole spices keep their aroma much longer than ground.
• Want it caffeine-free in the evening? Swap the tea for rooibos and simmer a minute longer.