Bimbler’s Chai

spice things up with my top secret recipe

By The Bimbler

Today I’m going to share with you my closely guarded Chai recipe… just don’t tell anyone else ok!

Masala Chai (spiced tea) goes back thousands of years in Southern Asia where it was once regarded not simply as a hot drink but a potent herbal medicine. There are as many ways to brew Chai as there are spice blends but after various travels around India and withdrawals from the real thing I developed my own recipe which is the perfect refreshment for adventurous wayfarers everywhere

Lets start with the spices. You will need…

Black Peppercorns

Cloves

Cardamoms

Star Anise

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Ginger

Using a Coffee bean Grinder, Grater or Pestle and Mortar pulverise everything before removing any stubborn big bits (cardamom husks etc) then repeat the process until you are left with a coarse powder.

Now mix in some strong black tea leaves and brown sugar too for the sweet Chai taste. Since you’ll probably be doing this at home try it out at this point to get the flavours balanced to your individual taste. Store the Chai blend in a small airtight container and use it within a day or two for the best flavour hit.

At this point you’ll be powerless to stop smelling the spicy blend which has a pungent, exotic, almost intoxicating aroma.

Masala Chai is traditionally infused in milk but you can dilute it with a little water without compromising the end result. If you’re travelling Ultralight try using (lots of) powdered milk instead.

Add the Milk/Water and Chai blend to a cooking pot, stir and put the lid on. Bring to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes before removing from the heat and resting for a further 10 minutes covered with a wooly hat or other insulating layer.

Consider this time as 20 minutes to take in your surroundings and think about something nice…

trust me it’s well worth the wait

Now your brew is ready

If you’re feeling brave pour the Chai into your mug from a height to aerate the spiced tea and give it authentic bubbles.

I use a square of muslin cloth to filter out the spice debris but it’s ok to leave it in for added texture!

Happy Slurping.

Footnotes

*as a lazy cheat stir in a teaspoon of pre-ground spices to your builders tea but in the same way as using powdered milk, the end result won’t have the amazing depth of flavour.

Button Label

FootNotes

*as a lazy cheat stir in a teaspoon of pre-ground spices to your builders tea but in the same way as using powdered milk, the end result won’t have the amazing depth of flavour.

It's a wrap

Bimbler’s Chai

spice things up with my top secret recipe

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