Indian Spiced Sweet Tea "Masala Chai"

When MIL came for a visit, she got me 2 packets of "Assam Black Tea powder/granules" and she says they make the best spiced sweet tea.It did and we all enjoyed sipping our evening tea until we exhausted it. She also gave me 2 large packets of Ooty Green Tea that I take to work.
Now that I have run out of my assam black tea powder, I picked up Brooke Bond 3 Roses "Mind Sharp" from Indian stores.It makes decent Chai.I like my tea spiced and sweet but without going overboard with the spices.Its because a multitude of spices leave a bad after-taste in one's mouth, atleast that is how I feel. So this is my minimalist approach of making masala chai.Come sip with me.

Ingredients(For 2 Medium Servings):

• 1-1/2 Tbsp Black Tea Powder, Preferrably Black Assam Tea Powder
• 2 Cups Whole Milk
• 1/2 Cup Water
• 1 to 1-1/2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
• 1/2" Fresh "Mature Ginger" with skin , Young Ginger makes a disastrous Tea
• 4 Cardamom Pods
• 1 Small Clove

Procedure:

• Pour milk and water in a sauce pan. To it add the black tea powder.

• Pound the ginger and cardamom pods in a mortar and pestle. DO NOT smash the clove. Leave it intact.

• Add the minced ginger-cardamom mixture and the WHOLE clove to the sauce pan. Finally add the sugar and stir to incorporate. Sugar may be added at a later stage according to preference. (Since me and DH like the same level of sweetness we add the sugar before bringing the tea to a boil)

• Place the sauce pan on the stove and bring the mixture to a boil on a medium flame. Let the mixture simmer for 2-3 minutes AFTER the mixture nearly bubbles over.

• Filter the tea to remove the tea powder, minced ginger-cardamon and the clove. Now use the sauce pan and another pan with handle to "pull the tea" twice or thrice and make it frothy. 

• Tea is ready to be served.

Spicy Crunchy Accompaniments for Sweet Tea:

• Channa Dhal Fritters/Masala Vadai:

• Cabbage Pakora/Pakoda:

 

• Stuffed Deep Fried Italian Peppers: Milagai Bajji

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#16