Karak Chai | Indian Tea Recipe
Karak Chai is a traditional tea of the Indian subcontinent comprising of dried tea leaves that are brewed to a dark color. To this, sugar and milk is added and simmered further to give a caramel color. Ginger or cardamom maybe added for subtle flavors but not mandatory. The perfect Karak Chai has a balance between the creaminess and caramel hue of the simmering tea.
Equipment
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 strainer
- 1 ladle
Ingredients
- 1.25 cups water
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1-2 pcs cardamoms crushed.
- 1.5 tsp loose tea leaves
- 2-3 tsp sugar
- ¾ cup whole milk
Instructions
- Firstly, heat up a pot or saucepan of water on medium-high heat.
- Let the water just start to simmer.
- Grate the ginger directly into the pot of water. You may add freshly ground ginger.
- Reduce heat to medium. Bring the water to a boil.
- Now add the tea leaves. Boil for 1-2 minutes till dark in color.
- At this stage add sugar. For sugar free, skip this step.
- After a minute, add milk and let it simmer.
- Pull the tea a few times to help mix all the ingredients.
- Bring the tea to a boil, make sure the tea doesn't overflow.
- Add cardamom at this time.
- Once the tea gets 2-3 boils and takes up a caramel-color hue, turn off the gas.
- Strain the tea into a glass/mug.
What to serve with Karak Chai
- Serve Hot Karak Chai with rusks, cookies such as eggless Vanilla Choco Chunk Cookies or cakes like Eggless Mawa Cake or Dates Cake with Walnuts Cake
- For high tea parties here’s what else you can serve with Karak Chai -Noodles Samosa Crispy Potato Pakora
Notes
- Add the tea leaves once the water simmers.
- Do not boil the tea leaves for long, else it will turn bitter.
- Pull the tea as you bring it to a boil, this allows the flavors to combine and creates a frothy mixture.
- Adding cardamom towards the end will enhance the flavor of the tea.