To make a qt/liter of Chai:

Use 3 cups of Water in a stainless steel pot big enough to hold the finished amount.
Start heating the Water.
Take a 3-5″ stick of Cinnamon (hard or soft) and throw it in.
Throw in about 10 whole Cloves.
Throw in about 8-10 crushed Green Cardamom Pods.
Throw in about 10 whole Black Peppercorns.
Throw in about 1 to 1-1/2 inches of thin sliced fresh Ginger. Doesn’t need to be peeled.
Bring to a rolling boil and let it go a few minutes.
After at least 5 minutes, better 10, add a rounded Tblsp of Black Tea, or 3-4 Tea bags.
Continue to boil for at least 5 minutes.
Add the Milk, approx 1 Cup.
Bring back to a boil.
WATCH! MILK BURNS!
Sugar is commonly added to the pot at this time.
Try breaking off a piece of “Gur” or “Jaggery” to sweeten the Chai.
Add your own sweetener, or not…
Strain and serve really hot!

If made well, a good Chai will not need sweetener. Sometimes though, the sweetener is just what melds the flavors.
You’ll find many from the East like their Chai really sweet. Yes, those syrupy sweet Chai boxes really do emulate the Indian Chais in at least one way.

Add more Black Pepper and Ginger when you feel a Cold coming on. Don’t be afraid to, “Spice it up!”
You may eliminate the Ginger or Pepper, Cloves, Cinnamon, if you want. But, why?
Try making Chai from only one or 2 of the ingredients anyway.
You may also add or substitute more flavors!
Try adding 1 Black Cardamom Pod, crushed, for an earthy, sharp, winey flavor. Tastes fantastic!
Try adding 1 Star Anise Pod, for a sweetness and exotic boost.
Try adding Fennel Seeds, (1 tsp) for a mellower, sweet flavor.
Try adding a few drops of Vanilla Extract at the end.
Don’t forget the Whipped Cream squirter!
Try boiling the spices for up to 30 minutes or more before adding the Black Tea. Add Water to replenish that boiled away while cooking.
As you can see, Chai becomes your own recipe real easily.
Play with the flavors.
You’ll find as many Chai recipes as families in the East.

Obviously, this can be made in a small sauce pan or quart pot.

Start the water to boil and add some crushed Cardamoms, say, 3 per cup.
Let the color come out and let it boil for a couple minutes, at least.
Add the Tea, bags or loose, about a tsp per cup. Don’t add an extra teabag for the pot.
Boil about 5 minutes.
Add the Milk.
Bring back to a boil.
Strain and serve.
Sweeten to taste.

After this, try adding a few whole cloves and a stick of cinnamon.
DEFINITELY throw in some black peppercorns…

Read on!

Quick Cheat Homemade Chai using Microwave:

Fill your mug 2/3 full of Water.
Take 1-3 Green Cardamom Pods and crunch them with a mug or chopping knife handle or rolling pin. Just crack ‘em open a touch and maybe crush a few of the little seeds inside. (If you’re alone, you can crack ‘em with your teeth!)
Throw ‘em into the mug.
Add a Tea Bag.
Add to top with Milk or Soy Milk
Microwave until it boils.
Let steep a few minutes.
Optional: Re-Microwave to get hot again.
Remove Tea Bag. Try to remove some Cardamoms.
Sweeten or not.
Sip tea. (Strain Cardamoms with your teeth.) >>>

Enjoy!

Drink Chai with friends!

You can always add the Milk to the Tea in the pot and bring back to a boil.
Watch! Milk Burns!

FIRST!
Please! Don’t try this the very first time after just waking up.
Practice a couple of times so you won’t need to mop up the microwave at an hour when the sound of running water hurts the ears.

SECOND!
Check kitchen to make sure spouse (friend, dog, offspring, mother, anything with a voice) isn’t near.
Enter kitchen.
Avoid looking at clock.
Avoid turning on lights.
Try to use the microwave light by opening the door.

THIRD! (The good part!)
Fill mug 2/3 full of water.
Put in 1+ pinch of Chai Masala powder.
Put in a Black Tea bag.
Add Milk or Soymilk to the top.
Uff! Watch that Fridge light! Too Bright!
Microwave it until it just boils. Pacing and looking. Looking and pacing. Approx 2-3 minutes.
Let sit for a minute or two to steep. Pacing and looking. Looking and pacing.
Diddle with the Teabag Tag, like it helps.
Fish Teabag Tag out of mug.
Re-microwave to bring temp up as hot as possible. Looking. Watching.
Yank the tea bag. Squeeze it anyway. Lick scalded fingers on the way to the trash.
Sweeten or not, to taste.
Real Rough Night? Lots of sweet!

FINALLY!
Sip in that first sip of Hope and Delight.
Shudder a bit and
Greet the Morning!
Greet the Spouse!
Pet the Dog!
GREAT CHAI!
GREAT DAY!

This Chai can more respectfully be made in a small pan,
Bring the water to a boil, adding a pinch or 2 of Chai Masala.
When it has boiled for a couple minutes, add the Black Tea.
Either, prep your mug and microwave it with about 1/3 Milk, strain the tea and mix it in the mug or, pour the Milk directly into the pot and bring back to a boil. Strain and serve.

This is a great first intro to Chai, without being stuck with those super sweet prepacked liquid products. Experiment with the different brands of Chai Masala to find the ones you like.

Black Tea
Get boxed or loose or bags.

Go to an Indian/Paki/Eastern Import Grocer.
“Tea India” brand is very popular with Chai drinkers from India.
“Brooke Bond Red Label” is fantastic and very forgiving if you let it boil away on the stove.
“PG Tips” is wonderful bagged tea, much cheaper than the same box at an English import store, and great for a teapot or made into Chai.

At a “Western” grocery store, believe it or not, Lipton’s, Red Rose, Tetley are great for making a hearty, earthy Chai.
Don’t be afraid to try English or Irish or Scottish Breakfast teas.
Try a Ceylon Orange Pekoe, or Darjeeling.
Lapsang Souchong will stimulate your senses with the smokey flavor. Still makes a great Chai, depending on spices used.

Also, please try a good Jasmine Tea, for a wonderful, light flavored Chai. It could become your favorite.

You’ll want to avoid the flavored Teas, like Earl Grey, which is scented with Bergamot Oil. Doesn’t mix well with the spices.

Spices
Indian/Eastern Import Stores are your best bet.
Try the “Specialty” section of your Grocer’s before going to the Baking Supplies area.
You’ll find most of the spices at a supermarket in the Baking Supplies row, but the price for a little jar will astound you.

Whole Cinnamon and Whole Cloves can be bought in the Mexican Spice area of many supermarkets, in bags.
Whole Black Peppercorns are also readily available.
Green Cardamom Pods, at the Indian store.
Ginger can be bought fresh at most Groceries.
Black Cardamom Pods are found at Indian Grocers.
Star Anise can be found in the Mexican Spice area or Import store.
Fennel seed is cheapest at the Indian store, or Mexican Spice area.

Homemade Chai Cheating

Go to any Indian/Eastern Import Grocer.

Buy 1 of every brand of “Tea Masala”/”Chai Masala” you can get your hands on.
Use a couple of pinches (SERIOUSLY!) per cup of finished tea.
When you find what you like, buy lots more of that brand.
Chai Masala is cheap!
Good in Hot Milk, too!

Milk
Traditionally, Milk in India comes from the Water Buffalo. It has a unique flavor that, once tasted in Chai, is hard to equal with what Ol’ Bossy produces in the West.
So, that aside, any kind of Milk – Cow’s, Goat’s, Sheep, Buffalo, Camel, – Whole Cream, Whole Milk, Raw, 2%, Pasteurized, Condensed (authentic in select areas!); any Soy Milk, Almond Milk. I suppose you could use Coffee “Whitener”. (You’ve got a Jones, if you have used it. Um, yeah, I’ve used it. But only on a Chai Teabag that was a commercial premix.)

Sweetener
For the most authentic taste, at the Indian store, buy a block of “Gur” or “Jaggery”; raw sugar pressed into blocks. Break off chunks of that!
Careful!
You don’t want to break any tile counters when preparing your Gur.
At a Hispanic grocer or Mexican spice area, look for “Piloncillo” for almost the same taste.
Sugar, honey, whatever you like, can be added for sweetener.

In the interests of furthering international relations and good will, particularly in the interests of great food of all kinds, ask the Indian storekeeper how his/her family makes Chai. You may get something quite different and unique from what you can put to taste here.