How to Make Perfect Chai: After ruining countless pots of chai, I’ve finally figured it out. It’s not complicated—just attention and timing.
Start with water in a pot. Add crushed ginger and cardamom pods. Let this boil hard for two minutes. Don’t skip this—you’re extracting spice flavors before anything else goes in. Your kitchen should smell amazing.
Add tea leaves—one heaping teaspoon per cup. Let it boil another minute or two until the water turns deep reddish-brown. This is crucial. Tea needs time in plain water to release properly. Add milk too soon and you get weak chai.
Now add milk (equal amount to water) and sugar. Here’s where it gets tricky. Watch it like crazy because milk boils over fast. When it starts rising, pull the pot off heat. Let it settle, put it back. Repeat this three times.
This pulling technique is the secret. It integrates everything, develops body, makes the chai smooth. You can’t rush it.
Strain into cups through a fine mesh. Serve immediately.
The ratio matters—I do 1:1 water to milk. Want stronger? Use more water, less milk. Want creamier? Reverse it. Sugar’s personal—start with one teaspoon per cup and adjust.
Common mistakes? Adding milk before tea steeps properly. Using too little tea. Not boiling the spices first. Forgetting to watch and letting milk boil over (been there, cleaned that mess).
Best advice? Make it ten times. First few will be okay, not great. By the tenth, you’ll know your pot, your stove, your timing. That’s when it clicks.
Perfect chai isn’t about recipes—it’s about practice and paying attention.
