Easy Plain Chai (Tea)
Enjoy a hassle-free cup of chai (tea) with this simple recipe. Put it all together at once and let the magic begin.
Servings: 2 cups
Calories: 52kcal
Equipment
- Saucepan medium
- Strainer
Ingredients
For chai tea with skim milk
- 3 teaspoons loose black tea (3-4 tea bags depending on the brand)
- 1¼ cup skim milk
- 1¼ cup water
- 2-3 teaspoons sugar or honey (per your taste)
For chai tea with 2% milk
- 3 teaspoons loose black tea (3-4 tea bags depending on the brand)
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1½ cup water
- 2-3 teaspoons sugar or honey (per your taste)
For chai tea with full-fat milk
- 3 teaspoons loose black tea (3-4 tea bags depending on the brand)
- ¾ cup full-fat milk
- 1¾ cup water
- 2-3 teaspoons sugar or honey (per your taste)
Instructions
- Get everything together: Add milk, water, and tea (loose tea or tea bags) to your saucepan.
- Get the first rolling boil: Place your pot on high heat. Let it come to a boil.
- Simmer on low: After it comes close to the top, put on low heat and let your chai tea simmer for 8 minutes.
- Final boil: After 8 minutes, turn the heat to full and let the chai come to a full boil and then turn off.
- Optional: For more strength, after the final boil, let the tea simmer at low heat for 2-3 minutes and then turn off.
- Strain: Use a strainer and pour the tea into your cups. If using tea bags, take them out with a spoon and place them on the strainer. Press with the spoon to get extra flavor.
- Enjoy your tea: Your tea is ready. Add sweetener if you wish. (I usually add 1-1½ tsp of sugar per cup).
Alternate method: To make vegan chai tea
- Get your saucepan: Add water and tea (loose tea or tea bags) to your saucepan.
- Get the first boil: Place your pot on high heat and let it come to a boil. You don't need a rolling boil; just when you see the mixture start boiling near the sides of the saucepan, that is enough.
- Simmer and steep: Lower the heat and let your chai simmer for 5 minutes.
- Prepare your vegan milk option: Warm your milk separately.
- Add milk: At 5 minutes of low heat simmer, add your milk to the tea, and simmer on low for an additional 3 minutes. (Do not bring to a boil)
- Strain: Use a strainer and pour the tea into your cups. If using tea bags, take them out with a spoon and place them on the strainer. Press with the spoon to get extra flavor.
- All done!! Your tea is ready, add any sweetener as per your taste.
Notes
1. Evaporation: Some of the liquid evaporates during the process, so it's always a good idea to add a bit extra to compensate for the loss, ensuring you're not left with less tea in the end. In my experience, about ¼ to ⅙ of the liquid is lost per cup. Therefore, I add that extra amount. For example, if I'm making 2 cups, I add ¼ cup extra liquid per cup, totaling an extra ½ cup of liquid. To clarify, if I'm making two cups of tea with skim milk, I would use 1¼ cups of water and 1¼ cups of milk.
2. Amount of tea: I use 1.5 teaspoons of loose black tea per cup or 1 to 2 tea bags per cup. (I do not take into account the extra fluid I add to compensate for evaporation. For example, if I am making 2 cups, I will still use 3 teaspoons of tea, even though I will add 1¼ cups of water and 1¼ cups of milk.) 3. Water to milk ratio: You can use a ratio of water to milk ranging from 1:1 to 3:1, depending on the type of milk. Use a 1:1 ratio for skim milk and a higher ratio for milk with fat, like 2:1 for 2% milk and 3:1 for full-fat milk. 4. Avoid the use of ginger with this method: Ginger contains a protease called "zingipain" which can denature the protein in milk. Therefore, if you want to add ginger, do so during the time of the first boil, or avoid using ginger altogether. 5. Aeration: If you prefer some bubbles or frothiness on top of your tea, strain the tea into a separate container like a glass or a jug. Then pour it back into your cup from a height, ideally a foot or more. This process is called aeration and helps to introduce air into the tea, creating a frothy texture. 6. Saucepan: It's best to use a saucepan with a heavy base or a non-stick coating. This helps to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom of the pan which can lead to a burnt taste. In my experience, milk is more likely to burn in a thin steel saucepan, especially when used on an electric cooking station. Also, if you make tea frequently, choosing a saucepan with a spout can minimize the chances of spillage. 7. Storage: Chai tastes best when made fresh. You can store it in a thermos or an insulated container for up to 3 hours, but I do not recommend storing it for any longer. 8. Nutritional information: The calculated nutrition facts below are for 1 cup of tea made with skim milk and without any sugar or any other substitute.
2. Amount of tea: I use 1.5 teaspoons of loose black tea per cup or 1 to 2 tea bags per cup. (I do not take into account the extra fluid I add to compensate for evaporation. For example, if I am making 2 cups, I will still use 3 teaspoons of tea, even though I will add 1¼ cups of water and 1¼ cups of milk.) 3. Water to milk ratio: You can use a ratio of water to milk ranging from 1:1 to 3:1, depending on the type of milk. Use a 1:1 ratio for skim milk and a higher ratio for milk with fat, like 2:1 for 2% milk and 3:1 for full-fat milk. 4. Avoid the use of ginger with this method: Ginger contains a protease called "zingipain" which can denature the protein in milk. Therefore, if you want to add ginger, do so during the time of the first boil, or avoid using ginger altogether. 5. Aeration: If you prefer some bubbles or frothiness on top of your tea, strain the tea into a separate container like a glass or a jug. Then pour it back into your cup from a height, ideally a foot or more. This process is called aeration and helps to introduce air into the tea, creating a frothy texture. 6. Saucepan: It's best to use a saucepan with a heavy base or a non-stick coating. This helps to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom of the pan which can lead to a burnt taste. In my experience, milk is more likely to burn in a thin steel saucepan, especially when used on an electric cooking station. Also, if you make tea frequently, choosing a saucepan with a spout can minimize the chances of spillage. 7. Storage: Chai tastes best when made fresh. You can store it in a thermos or an insulated container for up to 3 hours, but I do not recommend storing it for any longer. 8. Nutritional information: The calculated nutrition facts below are for 1 cup of tea made with skim milk and without any sugar or any other substitute.
Nutrition
Calories: 52kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 70mg | Potassium: 256mg | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 312IU | Calcium: 207mg