Description

Our Granny’s Chai was so popular that we kept getting asked to offer the spice mix separate from the tea so people could add it to their own favorite black teas.

This recipe comes from a great-grandma, hence the name, and it does not disappoint. Expect a peppery and aromatic chai with notes of citrus and freshly ground cardamom. This is a much more traditional masala than you will find in most places in the US, where people rely on non-traditional spices. All ingredients are freshly ground to order which makes ours stand apart. It’s more time-consuming, but there is nothing like the aroma and flavor you get when something is made fresh.

***THIS IS A SPICE MIX, IT DOES NOT CONTAIN TEA*** THANKS!

Most of our tea is produced by refugees, but this one is blended in-house and so will also donate partial proceeds to the International Rescue Committee.

Quick method

Add 1/4 teaspoon of spice mix or more to taste. Steep with your black tea leaves for 4-5 minutes. For best results, use our spice mix with a strong black tea that won’t get bitter. Assam leaves are a popular choice for this is in India.

Simple stovetop method

What you will need: A sauce pan or something similar; a fine sieve, fine tea basket, or teabag you can add the mix and tea to; water; milk. *See additional tips below.

Add 1/4 teaspoon of spice mix to about 1 1/2 cups water and simmer it (don’t boil) for 4-5 minutes. Then add the tea leaves (1 teabag worth or a little more for a stronger cup). Let tea steep together with spice mix in simmering water for 4 minutes. Add 1/2 cup milk (or non-dairy milk) or a little less to tea and spices, stir together well and then remove from heat. [*I use a milk frother at this point to aerate everything together. Just be careful not to splatter yourself with hot liquid]. The idea here is that you will lose a little water from simmering it, so you want to make sure you have enough liquid to fill your mug. So the amount of milk you want to water you can adjust once you find the perfect amount for your home cup. Strain everything through a fine sieve, tea basket, or if you used a teabag you can simply toss your teabag (or compost the tea leaves).

Note: Traditionally the final mixture can sit on the stovetop with the milk in it to get stronger the longer it sits. Then you can just add a little more milk or a little water to dilute the strength as it goes. This is a popular way to do it when making a big batch for your family, you just need to keep the mixture hot for food safety (not simmering or boiling) and make sure you are using a tea leaf that doesn’t get too bitter as the tea flavor will increase as well. It’s a great way to experiment to see how strong you like it as well. You can also let it cool to room temperature and put it in the fridge to be enjoyed in the next few days as iced chai.

Pro tips: milk frothers are great to add texture to your drink. This is basically what people will do at a chai stand in India or Pakistan when they aerate everything together using ladles. **Just be careful not to splatter yourself with any hot liquid.** If the milk is hot, it will froth more of course.

Ingredients: Organic black peppercorn, organic ginger, organic cinnamon, organic cardamom, organic cloves, and organic nutmeg.