Vegan Masala Chai
Back to Recipes & MoreIngredients
- 2 cups (500 ml) water
- 2 pcs (8 g) 3-inch cinnamon sticks
- 2-inch (12 g) fresh ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
- 12 cardamom pods
- 5 pcs whole cloves
- 2 pcs whole star anise
- 1 tsp (3 g) whole peppercorns
- ½ tsp (1 g) whole fennel seeds
- 5 to 6 tea bags (18 g) (Assam, Darjeeling, or any strong black tea)
- 3½ cups (875 ml) unsweetened coconut milk beverage (or another non-dairy milk alternative)
- ¼ to ⅓ cup (54 to 72 g) Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar, packed (use more or less sugar to increase or decrease sweetness)
Equipment
Medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan (preferably nonstick)
Liquid measuring cup
Scale OR dry measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Mortar and pestle OR spice grinder
Ladle
Ladle
Fine mesh sieve
Heatproof cups x 4 (mugs or teacups)
Instructions
Step 1
Place water into a medium, heavy-bottomed, preferably nonstick, saucepan. Break the cinnamon sticks in half or thirds and add it to the saucepan. Add the ginger to the water.
Step 2
In a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, roughly crush the cardamom pods, cloves, star anise, black peppercorns, and fennel seeds. Do not over-grind; this can lead to a gritty texture.
Step 3
Add the crushed spices to the saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring to combine; boil for 1 minute to reduce the curdling effect of the ginger.
Step 4
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add and stir in the black tea bags. Simmer tea for 5 minutes, allowing the mixture to evaporate slightly.
Step 5
Increase heat to medium-high to high. Add the coconut beverage to the tea. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low.
Step 6
Stir in the Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar (see Chef’s Tips). Dissolve the brown sugar and aerate the milk by using a ladle to scoop some of the chai and let the mixture pour, from a height of about a foot (12 inches), in a steady stream back into the saucepan; 2 minutes. Strain the masala chai through a fine mesh sieve into heatproof cups (see Chef’s Tips).
Step 7
Serve immediately.
