Oftentimes when we go to local eateries,ordering tea means getting served with a tray that includes a mug of hot water, some milk on the side, and a tea bag.It’s much easier for cafés to do it this way, instead of pouring out real tea that’s stored in a thermos.However, instant tea is not as satisfying as chai made from scratch at home. There’s no better tea than that made at home.The recipe is similar to the Indian way of making chai, except that Kenyans don’t use spices in their tea. Much of the East African culture like language (Kiswahili) and cuisine (chapati, pilau, biryani, chai) was influenced by Middle East and India, due to the lucrative and centuries-long Oriental slave trade that begun in the 7th Century.

Ingredients

  • Water
  • Whole milk
  • For extra flavour, take spice/seasoning such as Tropical Heat‘s Tea Masala (ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamon, black pepper and nutmeg)

Steps

  1. 1
    Mix the water and milk into the pot. For each cup of milk, match it with a cup of water i.e. one cup of milk, one cup of water. Should you prefer to have a thinner percentage of milk, you can simply adjust the ratio to 1 part milk and 2 parts water.[1]
    • If you want that “kick” in your tea, you will add a small serving of tea masala to infuse with the mixture at this first stage.[2]
  2. 2
    Set it up on the stove and bring the mixture to a boil. Some folks add sugar/sweetener to the boiling mix before serving. However, if you have a guest who does not take sugar, you may want to hold off on adding it.[3]
    • Also, this is the point where “nylon” is created – nylon is the boiled mixture of water and milk that can be used to make hot chocolate or instant coffee/tea.
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  3. 3
    Turn off the heat before the mixture boils over the pot.
  4. 4
    Add a spoonful of tea leaves and stir to mix it all around. At my house, we would rather do this rather than let the tea leaves boil together with the nylon because it can make the tea too strong.[4]
  5. 5
    Cover the pot and wait 3-5 minutes.
  6. 6
    Filter into a thermos, teapot or jug using a tea strainer/sieve.[5]
  7. 7
    Pour into a cup, add sweetener and enjoy your chai![6]
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    How many does this serve?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    It really depends on the amount of liquid you serve and how big/small your glasses/cups are.
  • Question
    How do I make the best chai?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    I have found simple chai to be the best chai. I use milk and a bit of water. Add some crushed cardamom and some crushed ginger, and boil all of them. Serve with a bit of sugar.
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Things You'll Need

  • Cooking pot/sufuria
  • Tea strainer/sieve

About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 67,679 times.
42 votes - 92%
Co-authors: 7
Updated: September 15, 2021
Views: 67,679
Categories: Milk Tea
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