This recipe is featured in the story, 4 Milky Indian Elixirs to Soothe & Sweeten Your Day.
There are as many ways to make chai as there are people in India (just kidding—but there are many ways!); what it boils down to is organic milk, black tea, sugar, and, in most but not all cases, spices like cardamom and ginger. “Cutting” refers to its small stature—a portion is usually no bigger than a half-cup—but the richness and flavors (cardamom and ginger definitely, other spices are optional) don’t make it seem so small spiritually.
As a South Indian, I’m more partial to coffee, which is why I decided to combine the two in this drink, borrowing the “dirty chai” terminology I see applied to tea-coffee drinks in the States.
Notes: Coffee is meant to be more of a background flavor here, softening the sharpness of the ginger; for a stronger coffee taste, feel free to use regular ground coffee or espresso instead of instant coffee. —Nikkitha Bakshani
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