After our Indian trip earlier this year, I reignited my love for masala chai. I'd fallen for it years ago, loving everything about its fiery heat and spiciness except the sugar that (in India, anyway) seems often to be added automatically during the brewing process. 

I don't ever take sugar in my tea or coffee, so this trip I asked every time if it could be made 'without sugar' and it was. At a spice plantation in Kerala, I bought a pack of masala chai powder, and when we finished that back at home I tracked down an Indian shop nearby.

But then that pack ran out and it was just too far to nip down to the shop for more, so I read the label on the packet, added some extra spices of my own, tasted and tested - and now I have my own, very presentable version which is getting the thumbs up from everyone who tries it.

Making it is a little bit of a process - much longer than dunking a tea-bag in boiling water – but as far as cookery goes, it always seems that the longer approach is always worth the trouble.

I did go the the expense of buying an electric spice grinder but it is really the only thing to use to grind rock-hard whole spices to a fine powder. And it does this effortlessly, in seconds! And I buy good fresh spices from the Indian shop rather than the supermarket.

So here it is:

Grind together in a spice grinder:

12 green cardamom pods

12 cloves

12 petals of star anise (about 2 whole)

2 teaspoons cracked pepper

4 teaspoons fennel seeds

Place the ground spices in a bowl and then add:

1 teaspoon ground pimiento (allspice)

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cardamom

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

about 12 grinds fresh nutmeg

Mix all together well and store airtight. Use 1 teaspoon to make tea for two. Makes enough for around  64 cups.

To make the tea:

For each person, place 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup hot water in a saucepan. Add 1 or more teaspoons black tea and 1/2 teaspoon masala chai powder. Bring to the boil, watching carefully as the milk can make the mixture boil over, then reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Strain into cups and sweeten as desired.*

*Obviously if everyone takes sugar in their tea, sugar or honey can be added at the beginning and heated along with the milk and water.

©Sally Hammond, 2014