Where it comes from
Tea was a British plantation crop that Indians made their own by boiling it — an act the Tea Board initially campaigned against. Ginger, cardamom and a hard rolling boil turned an imported leaf into a national habit.
Method
- 1
Boil the aromatics
04:00Boil water with crushed ginger and cardamom until fragrant.
- 2
Add tea
03:00Add tea leaves and boil hard until the water is deep mahogany.
- 3
Milk and sugar
04:00Pour in milk and sugar and let it rise three times, pulling the pan back each time.
- 4
Strain high
01:00Strain from a height into cups to aerate it.
Cook's notes
- Crush ginger, never grate it — grated ginger curdles the milk.
- The three-rise boil is what makes chai kadak.
