Masala Ginger Chai

Remember when I asked what to do with the knobbly bits left over from my huge ginger storing activity? Well here's one! When one has a surplus of ginger (and one did), one must make ginger chai - or ginger tea, as it were. But also, why have plain ol' ginger chai when you can add in a couple of spices and make it a masala ginger chai?!

Masala Ginger Chai

1 1/2 cup water

1/2 inch ginger root, smashed (depending on how spicy you want to make it)

3 cloves

4 cardamom pods (opened) (can you tell I like my cardamom?)

1 inch cinnamon stick

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp loose black tea leaves

1/4 cup milk (add more if you like your tea more milky)

1 1/2 tsp sugar (you can add less sugar or use another sweetener - honey perhaps - if you like, but adding a healthy amount of sugar brings this chai closer to the tea I have when visiting my grandmas - and that's always a good thing!)

(makes 2 tea cups or 1 large mug)

Directions

Bring the water to a boil, then add in the cloves, cardamom, pepper, and cinnamon. Lower the heat, add in the ginger, and simmer for 30 seconds.

Add in the tea leaves, turn off the heat, and cover. Let the tea steep until the tea leaves have settled to the bottom - that's usually an indication that they've steeped enough.

Add in the milk and sugar and stir.

Strain it immediately into 2 cups, offer one to your favorite person, then clear your mind and sip. Ah.



P.s. One of my huge pet peeves is reading "chai tea" on a menu. "Chai" really just means "tea" - so it's like saying "tea tea" yeesh. So don't call this a masala ginger chai tea please!