A chai cup from a bag wants three small upgrades over a plain black brew: water at 100C (chai needs heat to release the spice), a slightly longer steep (so the cinnamon, cardamom and ginger actually come through), and milk added in the cup rather than the kettle. Get those right and you have the warming, spiced, milky cup chai is meant to be.
Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for the The Standard Chai Cup recipe. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/recipes/chai-tea/the-standard-chai-cup/
It uses PG Tips Chai Special Blend, a Black Tea and chai spice blend. One mug, a few minutes.
You'll need
- 1 PG Tips Chai tea bag
- 250ml water at a full rolling boil
- A generous splash of cold milk
- 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar or honey, to taste
Method
- Boil fresh water fully. Chai needs 100C; the whole spices in the blend will not release their warmth at any less.
- Put the bag in the mug and pour the boiling water straight onto it.
- Steep 4 to 5 minutes; the black tea is happy at 3 to 4 but the spice wants the extra time to come through. A chai bag will not turn bitter as fast as plain black.
- Press the bag against the side a few times and lift it out.
- Stir in the sugar or honey while it is piping hot so it dissolves; chai is traditionally sweetened.
- Add a generous splash of cold milk after the bag is out, more than for a builders mug; chai is meant to be milky.
Want the background, not just the brew?
Brewed with: PG Tips Chai Special Blend, 70 Tea Bags 175g
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