Masala Tea (indian Spiced Tea)

Charmed's Note:

This is wonderfully heady and comforting, and perfect with an Indian meal. I've made it as directed, but also have a coffeemaker I use just for tea, and most often make it in that. I'll just put the spices in a coffee filter with the tea, then throw a cardamom pod in each cup when I serve it. It's great cold too (but I prefer it hot, with a little sugar)

• Total Time: 15 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 2 tablespoons darjeeling tea (see note below)
• 8 white cardamom pods or 8 green cardamom pods
• 2 inches cinnamon sticks
• 4 whole cloves
• 5 cups cold water
• sugar or honey or milk, to taste

Directions:

1. Warm your teapot by rinsing it with boiling water.
2. Place the tea& spices in the teapot.
3. Boil the 5 cups of water and pour over the tea& spices.
4. Let steep for 5 minutes, stir, and serve with a cardamom pod added to each cup.
5. Add sugar, honey and/or milk to taste.
6. NOTES:.
7. You can substitute Assam or Ceylon tea for the darjeeling, and can use teabags instead (1 or 2 per cup of water, depending on how strong you like your tea).
8. If using a coffeemaker, 4 teabags for a 10-cup pot seems to work perfectly.

Reviews

[Baby Kato]

What a lovely soothing tea. I enjoyed the flavors very much. A beautiful colored tea, that smelled and tasted great. I drank mine with a little honey and no milk. Just perfect, the honey brought out all the different spices. Thank you for sharing this tasty drink. I will make this one again. Made for Comfort Cafe SnowQueen Round 01/10 :)

[Karen Elizabeth]

A very good tea, heady with the aromatic scents and flavours of India! I don't take sugar or milk, so enjoyed mine black. I offered some to DH and he preferred it with honey (also no milk). I made mine on the stove top, and helped myself in the course of the afternoon, I'll drink tea hot or cold! This was refreshing and energising, and would certainly accompany Indian cuisine well. Thank you Charmed, lovely!

[Aaliyah's&Aaron'sMum]

These are the exact same ingredients my Mum uses to make tea (she sometimes adds in a small piece of ginger too) except she makes it on the stove-top in a saucepan. She first boils the water with the tea leaves and the spices, then adds in sugar (if using) and milk and boils till it rises up, stir in with a spoon, boil and let it rise again, repeat for about 3 more times. That way it's rich, strong and creamy. I don't take sugar or milk with my tea, so I make mine in the teapot! This does make a delicious cup of tea! Thank you, Charmed! :)