Add water to a saucepan, and place over medium-high heat.
Crush cardamom pods with mortar and pestle or flat of a knife. Add cardamom, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, and tamarind to the saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add tea bags; stir to combine. As soon as water returns to a simmer, turn off heat, and steep for 5 minutes.
Stir in sugar, and let stand 5 minutes more. Strain into a container, squeezing tea bags thoroughly. Wrap container and refrigerate until very cold, about 1 hour.
To serve, fill a tall glass with ice. Pour in tea; top with a generous splash of coconut milk.
3 tea bags, preferably strong black tea such as Assam
1 cup of half-and-half
1. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan or small pot. As the water heats up, add the ginger, cardamom and, if using, brown sugar.2. Once water has reached a boil, reduce to medium-low heat so it simmers with gentle bubbles. Add the tea bags and half-and-half.
Using tea bags simplifies the process.
3. Let the liquid slowly come to a boil once again, then remove from heaGupta says making chai isn’t just about the drink but also the tradition surrounding it.4. Remove tea bags and carefully pour tea into teapot or cups.
