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Most economical way to make good chai tea?

DakotaPaul — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 15:26:22 -0800

Most economical way to make good chai tea? A few months ago I became addicted to chai tea. I started with Peet's Masala Chai, then tried Malabar Trading Co.'s Traditional Malabar Chai Mix (pdf). Loved them both: I got more cups out of the Peet's but the Malabar had a wonderful peppery kick. Would it be more economical to make my own blend, and if so what's a good recipe and where should I buy the spices and tea?

Chai - why so bitter?

joshnunn — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 01:07:58 -0800

I thought I'd make my pregnant wife a nice cup of home brewed chai from a pregnancy recipe book. But it's awfully bitter and difficult to drink. What is causing the bitterness? The caffeine free recipe calls for:
1 teaspoon of ginger (which we didn't have so I left out)
2 teaspoons of cloves
2 tablespoons of cardamom pods (although thinking back, I may have used 2 teaspoons...)
2 cinnamon sticks
1 bay leaf
4 tablespoons of brown sugar

Can the obvious deficiencies in my direction following explain the extreme bitterness? That is, would more cardamom and some ginger counteract the awful taste in my mouth? I need guidance before I try again, as I don't want to drink it if it's going to be much the same. I ended up putting more sugar in my first batch to counteract it, and it made it barely drinkable, but I need more than that if I'm going to try again.

I realise there are a few questions here about chai already, but I want to understand my chai before I try again.

Thank you!

Chai Tea fix

vionnett — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 08:28:14 -0800

I need tips for making chai at home My craving for a cup of chai tea in the morning has led me to try brewing it myself. My escapade this morning resulted in disaster. A watery brew with only a hint of spice.

I bought my chai from a local gourmet supermarket from their bulk tea section. It's a loose Masala Chai and I can see the fresh spices and herbs in the mix.

I used my usual 1 spoonful for myself and 1 for the pot. Boiling water, brewed for 5 minutes. A dash of milk and that was it. And then...watery waste. What works for you? What am I missing?