Source: HowToCook (a programmer's guide)
Masala chai lives or dies on spice-blending. Bruise—don't chop—the ginger, cardamom pods, and black peppercorns to crack cell walls and release volatile oils without fragmenting them into bitter dust. A knife-flat smash is enough; you want surface area, not pulp. This matters: finely chopped spices will over-extract and turn harsh and one-dimensional.
Bring 120 ml water to a rolling boil, then add all the spices—ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and peppercorns. Let them steep for 2 minutes at a gentle simmer. The water will shift from clear to amber and smell sharp and clean. This is your infusion base. Add the 8 g of CTC tea and continue simmering for another 2 minutes. You'll see the liquid darken to deep copper-brown as the tannins and solids from the tea leaves enter the water. This isn't steeping in the Western sense—you're extracting quickly and deliberately, not over-brewing.
Pour in the 120 ml of full-fat milk. The temperature will drop sharply. Increase the heat to medium and watch the surface. When the first bubble breaks and foam begins to rise—usually within 1–2 minutes—reduce to low immediately. Milk proteins denature and foam easily; a rolling boil will boil over and waste your work. Now lift the pan and pour the chai back into itself 3–4 times, letting it stream from cup height. This gentle aeration and heat-control blends the milk and tea into a cohesive emulsion rather than two distinct liquids. You'll see the colour shift to a unified pale tan.
Stir in 10–15 g sugar until fully dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour through a fine sieve into your cup, catching the tea leaves and whole spice solids. The liquid should be smooth, slightly frothy on top, and hot enough to steam. Serve immediately. Masala chai oxidises and separates quickly once it cools; drink it while it's unified.
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