A homemade chai latte from scratch can be made quickly with a ready-made homemade spice mix. Make a batch of the spice mix (masala) ahead of time and save for future cups of chai (tea).
Grind masala spices in mortar & pestle or electric spice or coffee bean grinder.
OR use pre-ground spices. I used pre-ground ginger and nutmeg.
Measurements are for the ground spice, not the whole spice.
Mix all the spice ingredients together.
Place masala mix in a sealed glass spice jar.
Label and save.
PART 2: Make The Chai Latte
Bring water to a boil. Steep tea for 5 minutes. Strain.
Pour all the ingredients (brewed tea, spices and milk) together into a spouted saucepan.
Bring to a slow boil and reduce immediately, stirring continuously.
Lower heat to a very low simmer and stir for a few minutes.
Froth with an electric milk frother.
Or do as in India and pour from a height of 12 inches to achieve a similar effect!
Pour into a cup and enjoy. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Notes
The spice (masala) mix itself is enough to yield about 60 cups of chai using ¼ teaspoon per cup. Save in a glass spice jar. If you like a little more kick, you can increase the black pepper. I used a moderate amount of pepper in this recipe.