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5 from 134 votes

Homemade Chai Concentrate

Indulge in a steaming cup of tea made with your very own homemade chai concentrate. This delightful concentrate is created by brewing Indian black tea with whole spices and is perfect for storing.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American, Indian
Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Hindu, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Low Salt, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 4 cups of concentrate
Calories: 33kcal
Author: Shilpa Kerur

Ingredients

  • 5 teaspoon black tea I use Assam tea
  • 5 cups water
  • 2-3 inch ginger (one thumb)
  • 5 teaspoon sugar adjust as per taste

Spices:

Instructions

  • In a mortar pestle, add star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, fennel seeds, and black pepper. Crush them lightly.
  • Take the crushed spices and ginger in a saucepan. Add 5 cups of water.
  • Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Add sugar and tea powder. Let the tea steep for another 4-5 minutes. Do not simmer for too long as this will make the concentrate bitter.
  • Turn off the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes.
  • Strain the tea concentrate by passing it through a sieve.
  • Let it cool completely before storing.

Notes

This recipe makes 4 cups of concentrate, which can be stored for up to one week in the refrigerator. You can half or double the recipe as needed.
It is best to use whole spices that are crushed lightly to make the concentrate. Powdered spices will not strain fully. Whole spices can be strained easily, and they also give a perfectly balanced flavor to the tea.
Use loose-leaf tea where possible instead of black tea bags. All Indian stores sell many brands of loose Assam tea, which is perfect for making chai.
For every cup of water, use one teaspoon of tea powder. In this recipe, I am using 5 cups of water and 5 teaspoons of Assam tea. If you want to use tea bags, use 5 black tea bags for this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 33kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.04g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 64mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg