A rich, creamy tea brewed by boiling Kenyan black tea leaves directly in milk with ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon, sweetened generously with sugar.
Ingredients
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2 cups whole milk
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2 cups water
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3 tbsp loose Kenyan black tea leaves
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3 tbsp sugar
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1-inch piece fresh ginger, crushed
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3 cardamom pods, crushed
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1 small cinnamon stick
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Pinch of black pepper (optional)
Instructions
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1
Combine water and milk in a saucepan. Add crushed ginger, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick.
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2
Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, watching carefully as the milk can boil over quickly.
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3
Add tea leaves and sugar, reduce heat to low, and simmer for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
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4
The chai should turn a rich caramel-brown color with a creamy, aromatic fragrance filling the kitchen.
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5
Strain through a fine strainer into cups, pressing the tea leaves to extract maximum flavor.
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6
Serve immediately while hot. Kenyan chai is always served sweet and milky.
Did You Know?
Kenya is the world's third-largest tea producer, yet most Kenyans drink their tea boiled in milk rather than brewed in water with milk added.