The year is coming to an end and it’s the season of gift giving! This year I decided to make some diy gifts to save waste and give people something that would be truly useful. This masala chai mix is perfect for that tea-lover in your life.
Chai Spices
I love these tea mixes because it’s so much easier to make masala chai when you have a blend on hand, rather than taking out all the individual spices. It is a blend of cardamom, clove, peppercorns, cinnamon and dried ginger. I like to go heavy on the cardamom because it is one of my favorite spices. It also looks very pretty in the mason jar as little specks of the green husk peep through.
The spices are ground just to the point where you can still see the husks of the cardamom pods. It makes for a very pretty gift when presented in a mason jar with some jute wrapped around it. I also gifted these with a cute gold tea steeper, as seen in this picture.
Benefits of Making your own tea blends
- Reduced waste: When buying a masala chai mix, each serving comes individually wrapped. This is usually non-recyclable and tea bags contain trace amounts of plastic.
- Enhanced Flavor: There is nothing like grinding your own spice blends and mixing your own tea. You’ll find a rich flavor that you just can’t beat!
- Calming rituals: Many cultures have elaborate rituals surrounding tea. It invokes feelings of peace, calming and hospitality.
- A Thoughtful Gift: I find so much value in gifts that are made by friends
Loose Leaf Tea
The tea I used was Brooke Bond Taj Mahal orange pekoe tea, which is a very strong dried loose leaf tea. It makes for a cup of “kadak chai,” with a rich tea flavor. If you prefer a less strong variety, you may use any loose leaf variety you like.
Preparing the Tea
My favorite method of preparing tea is the double boil method, as listed in the recipe below. It is the most traditional method of making masala chai. The chai is brought to a boil with your milk of choice (I use almond milk), removed from flame, and brought to a boil again. You may also steep the tea in hot water for around 7 minutes. Feel free to grate in some fresh ginger for an extra spicy tea.
DIY Masala Tea Mix
Ingredients
- 2 cups black tea
- 1/3 cup cardamom pods
- 1/4 cup black peppercorns
- 3-4 tsp dried ginger or ground ginger
- 4 tsp whole cloves
- 1 small cinnamon stick
Instructions
- In a blender cup or food processor, place all the whole spices.
- Pulse a few times to break up the spices. Stir to ensure it is evenly ground.
- Pulse a few more times. The spices should still remain somewhat whole and not completely pulverized.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the spices with 2 cups of ground black tea leaves.
- Add ground ginger or dried ginger. You may omit if you prefer to use fresh ginger in your masala chai.
To Prepare a Milky Chai – Double Boil method
- Add 1/4 cup of water to a pot. When it comes to a boil add 1 tsp of tea mix and 3/4 cups of plant milk or milk of choice.
- Bring to a boil, but remove from flame before it boils over.
- Bring to a boil again.
- Add sugar as needed and and allow to steep for 1-2 minutes.
- Use a strainer to transfer the tea to a cup. Use a high pour to generate froth on the top.
To Prepare Using Steep Method.
- Add 1 tsp of tea to a tea steeper.
- Steep in hot water for 7 minutes.
Notes
IF YOU LIKED THIS RECIPE, PLEASE BE SURE TO TAKE A PICTURE OF YOUR CREATIONS AND TAG @IAMSTUFFT ON INSTAGRAM!
