Lauren's Masala Chai Concentrate

Ingredients

• 7 cups water
• 2 tablespoons cut dried ginger (chunks, available at health food stores in the bulk spice department) or 1 inch fresh ginger
• 10-15 whole cloves
• 1/4 star anise pods
• 3 inches cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1/2 tablespoon cardamom seed
• 2 tablespoons black tea leaves
• 5 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• milk

Directions

1. 1

   special note about spices (If you have a bulk foods or Whole Foods or Vitamin Cottage kind of grocer nearby, get the spices from the bulk section. They often cost 25% what you'd pay for a jar! My total ingredients expense was around $1.50, not including the milk!).

2. 2

   In a medium-large saucepan, bring about 7 cups water to a boil.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, add the 6 spices (do not add the tea yet).

4. 4

   Once the water/spice mixture is boiling, add the tea.

5. 5

   Boil 5 minutes, then remove from heat. (I know you're never supposed to boil tea, but I found this works just fine. If you don't want to boil the tea, just boil the spices for 5 minutes and steep slightly longer.).

6. 6

   Stir in the brown sugar (or honey) and vanilla.

7. 7

   Steep for 8 minutes, then strain into a glass container.

8. 8

   While you wait for it to cool, pour a mug 2/3 full with your chai and add hot milk to the top. (If it isn't spicy or sweet enough, you can still add more spices to steep - just strain the mixture again before storing.) OR for a real treat, use hot evaporated milk (I wouldn't want this every day, because its a little sweeter and creamier than regular milk.).

9. 9

   Store in the refrigerator for 7 days (maybe longer, but all chai concentrate containers claim 7 days is best). Note: Normally you'd use 1:1 ratio of chai:milk, but I brew it a little weaker and save $ on milk since I drink so much chai.