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    Home / Recipes

    Bojon Masala Chai

    Published Mar 17, 2010

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    spices on a table

    On sunny SF days, 90% of Mission hipsters can be found, fixie bike and foofy dog in tow, lounging on a blanket in Dolores Park, drinking PBR from a can, iPod earphones firmly in place, skinny jeans cuffed just so. The rest of us find a tiny square of grass among the vintage dresses and shaggy hairdos, roll up our shamefully bootcut pants, and perhaps strum a few ukulele chords in the sun.

    crdamom seeds in a bowl

    The weather never lasts long, though, and sooner or later a vicious wind blows in, scattering the block-long line at Bi-Rite creamery. (Just kidding! Bi-Rite groupies wouldn't let a little thing like freezing-cold weather deter them from their mission.) At times like these, nothing beats a steamy mug of masala chai from Samovar, creamy with organic milk, lightly sweetened with handmade palm sugar.

    close up of ginger

    More ironic than a hipster in a 'Vote McCain' t-shirt, a cup of said chai, which disappears all too soon, forcing you from the pampering haven of soothing music and heavenly smells and back into the squall, costs about the same as two giant meals of rice and dal would in India. The ingredients are so inexpensive; a dollar or two worth of spices, tea, milk and sugar get you six Samovar-sized servings in the comfort of your own home.

    spices in a pot

    As an added bonus, the simmering spices perfume your house, making your toes tingle in anticipation of the spicy sips to come. You can use any sweetener or milk you like, and vary the spices to your taste. Cloud it up with whatever dairy, or non-, you like, such as vanilla-maple almond milk. I've made this tea with english breakfast, ginger pu-erh, and rooibos teas; all produce great chais of varying flavors and colors. You can also use green tea, as in the Kashmiri tradition.

    dried spices

    Chai is the perfect Bojon treat, since it takes little effort to make and simmers for a long time on the stove. A big batch can be refrigerated, providing tasty morning bevvies for the whole week. It is also good chilled, weather permitting, of course.

    spices being sieved into a bowl

    Here is my version, adapted from Sweet!, an aptly titled book by Mani Niall featuring loads of recipes made with all sorts of natural sweeteners. The original calls for jaggery, an unrefined Indian sugar. If you use that, you are much more hip than I. But do me a favor: never utter the words 'chai' and 'latte' in the same sentence.

    top down shot of chai tea

    Namaste.

    For more hot drink recipes:

    • Honey Vodka & Apple Cider Hot Toddy
    • Fresh Mint Hot Cocoa with Matcha Marshmallows
    • Vegan Champurrado {Mexican Hot Chocolate Atole}
    • Homemade Horchata with Pumpkin Seeds, Maple & Ginger {vegan & naturally sweetened}
    • Masala Chai

    *Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram,  Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this masala chai recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet  and  #bojongourmet.*

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    Bojon Masala Chai

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    My take on the classic spiced tea.
    Alanna Taylor-Tobin
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total: 35 minutes
    Servings: 6 1 cup servings.

    Ingredients

    • 5 cinnamon sticks, 3 inches in length (preferably ceylon)
    • 10 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
    • 3 inche piece of fresh ginger, sliced into coins
    • 1/2 of a vanilla bean
    • 16 peppercorns
    • 3 whole cloves
    • 3 allspice berries
    • 2-3 tablespoons black (or green or rooibos) tea
    • 3 tablespoons sweetener (honey, agave, jaggery and sugar all work)
    • 1 1/2 cups milk or milk substitute (such as almond or coconut milk)

    Instructions

    • In a large saucepan, combine all of the spices with 6 cups of water. Bring to a bare simmer, reduce the heat, and cook at a bare simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the tea, and let steep for 10 minutes. Add the sweetener and milk and warm over low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pitcher or measuring cup.
    • Drink hot, or cool and store in the fridge for up to a week. Warm as needed, or drink chilled.

    Notes

    For an extra-spicy variation, you can cover and steep the spices for up to 2 hours after they've simmered for 30 minutes. Reheat the infused water, add the tea, and proceed with the recipe. I recommend using ceylon (or "true") cinnamon here – they have a more subtle, fruity flavor that lets the other spices shine, whereas the cassia varieties tend to take over more.
    Nutritional values are based on one of six cup servings.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 91kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 2gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 28mgPotassium: 144mgFiber: 2gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 105IUVitamin C: 0.9mgCalcium: 111mgIron: 0.8mg
    Making this? I'd love to see!Tag your snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet!

    Bojon Masala Chai

    Makes six 1-cup servings

    For an extra-spicy variation, you can cover and steep the spices for up to 2 hours after they've simmered for 30 minutes. Reheat the infused water, add the tea, and proceed with the recipe. I recommend using ceylon (or "true") cinnamon here – they have a more subtle, fruity flavor that lets the other spices shine, whereas the cassia varieties tend to take over more.

    5 - 3" cinnamon sticks (preferably ceylon)
    10 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
    3" piece of fresh ginger, sliced into coins
    1/2 of a vanilla bean
    16 peppercorns
    3 whole cloves
    3 allspice berries
    2-3 tablespoons black (or green or rooibos) tea
    3 tablespoons sweetener (honey, agave, jaggery and sugar all work)
    1 1/2 cups milk or milk substitute (such as almond or coconut milk)

    In a large saucepan, combine all of the spices with 6 cups of water. Bring to a bare simmer, reduce the heat, and cook at a bare simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the tea, and let steep for 10 minutes. Add the sweetener and milk and warm over low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pitcher or measuring cup.

    Drink hot, or cool and store in the fridge for up to a week. Warm as needed, or drink chilled.

    spices for masal chai

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    the cover of the award-winning cookbook, Alternative Baker

    Hungry for more?

    Alternative Baker celebrates the unique tastes and textures of 14 gluten-free flours, from buckwheat flour to almond flour to sorghum and coconut! This cookbook will fill your kitchen with sweet treats that burst with flavor every month of the year.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. terry says

      April 05, 2010 at 7:41 pm

      The picture of Yo-Yo is quite funny.
      what a face !
      thanks for the cookies last this weekend.

      TerryMull

      Reply
    2. Miss Kyra says

      January 11, 2013 at 9:23 pm

      I'm on my second batch of Chai, making my own for the first time! It's tasty, and gives me something to look forward to and savor each morning.
      Thanks for the recipe and fun stories. :)

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        January 12, 2013 at 7:18 am

        Kyra - That makes me so happy. Thanks.

        Reply
    3. Caterina says

      February 07, 2015 at 9:44 am

      LOVE THIS! I've been tinkering around the web in search of a no fail chai and this one never fails to delight my taste buds. I use rooibos tea, a bit more sweetener than called for, maybe 5-6 Tbsp in a combination of honey and agave as well as coconut milk (carton) and a touch of coconut cream. I top it off with freshly grated nutmeg. It's heavenly, thank you!!!!

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        February 12, 2015 at 7:51 am

        Yay! I'm so glad you like it and your variation sounds divine. Thanks for the note!

        Reply

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