How to make cardamom chai (elaichi chai) at home

Cardamom chai is the simplest chai there is: black tea boiled with milk and green cardamom, sweetened if you like. In much of India it is called elaichi chai. Where masala chai layers six spices, this one lets a single spice carry the cup, and it is the one to make for anyone who finds masala chai too much.

What you need, for two cups

• 2 level tablespoons of Assam tea, about 10 g. Strong CTC Assam gives the classic dark cup.
• Green cardamom pods, two to four, cracked open under the flat of a spoon. Skip these if your tea already has cardamom in it, like our Cardamom chai.
• A scant cup of water (200 ml) and a scant cup of whole milk (200 ml).
• 2 teaspoons of sugar or jaggery, if you take it sweet.

Use green cardamom, not black. Black cardamom is a different spice with a smoky flavor, and it will not taste like elaichi chai. Whole pods, cracked just before they go in the pan, give far more aroma than ground cardamom from a jar.

How to make cardamom chai on the stove

About eight minutes, in a small saucepan.

1. Boil the water with the tea and cardamom. Everything into the pan on high heat. About two minutes.
2. Simmer for two minutes. Turn it down so it bubbles gently. The water turns deep amber.
3. Add the milk and bring it back to a boil.
4. Let it rise three times. When it foams up toward the rim, lift the pan off the heat until it settles, then put it back. Do this three times. It is what gives chai its body.
5. Sweeten in the pan, while it is still on the heat.
6. Strain into two cups.

The quick way, in a mug

This is the method printed on our pouches, and it works well for one cup.

1. Put one level tablespoon of tea, about 5 g, in a mug, with a cracked pod or two if your tea has no cardamom in it.
2. Pour over ½ cup of just-boiled water, cover the mug, and steep for five minutes.
3. While it steeps, bring ½ cup of milk to a boil and froth it.
4. Strain the tea into your cup, pour in the milk, and stir in 1–2 tablespoons of sugar if you like it sweet.

There are photos of each step in our brew guide.

Iced cardamom chai

Make a strong batch, cool it, and pour it over ice with cold milk at one part chai to two parts milk. Our concentrate recipe makes a batch that keeps five days, and it has a cardamom cold foam to go on top.

Cardamom chai or masala chai?

Cardamom chai is lighter and more floral. Masala chai is warmer and layered, with ginger and black pepper at the back of the throat. If you are not sure which you prefer, here is how they compare.

Ours

Our Original Cardamom Chai is strong Assam CTC and green cardamom, nothing else, in a 150 g pouch that makes about 30 cups. It is coming soon, and you can join the list on its page. If you want chai to brew today, our whole-leaf masala chai has cardamom among its six spices.