Recipe: Masala Chai Tea

When I moved to New York City almost fifteen years ago, a friend took me on a downtown tour of inexpensive places to fill my belly. One stop was the Lahore Deli, a Pakistani joint on the edge of Soho where for four dollars I could have a little box of rice, dal and veggies plus a hot cup of sweet milky chai. The chai’s share of that bill was one dollar; these days it’s a buck fifty.

It was there, inside Lahore Deli, where my love for chai blossomed and as I made my way farther afield in the city, I scouted out other places for great chai, but I never found one that matches Lahore’s and so when the craving comes — and it comes almost daily — I either meander over to Crosby Street, or I make my own.

Chai literally means tea to much of the world, but most English speakers think of chai as the spiced tea drink Masala Chai. So yes, technically Chai Tea means “tea tea.”

There are two ways to do this: throw just about everything in a pot of water and simmer, then add the milk, tea and sweetener and brew for a few minutes; or, let the spices soak overnight in the water then simmer in the morning with your tea leaves and milk. For tea leaves, use Assam or Ceylon tea if you’re a purist. English Breakfast will also do. I use loose PG Tips tea.

Play around with the flavors. More cardamom if you’re a fan, for example. The fellows at the deli tell me it’s a sin to combine the ginger with the milk, but I like the extra dimension of heat it adds. Find your own formula. Once you hit it, you’ll know.