Elaichi chai is milk tea scented with green cardamom. Unlike a many-spice masala chai, this elaichi chai recipe lets that one spice lead. You will crack the pods, simmer them with black tea in water, add milk briefly and strain into two cups. The weighed tea and measured liquids make the method easy to repeat; the exact balance remains a starting point for TeaTurbo's hands-on verification, since home cooks use different proportions.
Image note: The featured and detail WebP images are AI-generated illustrations, not photographs of a TeaTurbo brew test.
Quick answer: a two-cup cardamom chai
Crack 5 green cardamom pods. Simmer them in 250 ml water for 2 minutes, then add 6 g black CTC tea for another 2 minutes. Add 250 ml milk and optional sugar, bring just to a rise and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes before straining. Start with water at a boil, about 100°C / 212°F, and watch the milk carefully. Expect about 350–420 ml total. This cardamom-led formula is an untested starting point, not a universal household ratio.
Jump to the TeaTurbo recipe card
What is elaichi chai?
Elaichi is the Hindi name for cardamom. Here green cardamom perfumes black tea cooked with milk. It is an Indian home-style tea rather than a named single-origin leaf. Lightly crushing the pods exposes the seeds before cooking. The Tea Board of India identifies cardamom as a familiar chai addition; this article focuses on it alone instead of a broad spice mix.
Ingredients and equipment
For two small cups, use 250 ml water (about 1 cup), 250 ml whole milk (about 1 cup), 6 g Assam CTC black tea, 5 green cardamom pods and 0–8 g sugar (up to about 2 teaspoons). You need a small saucepan, mortar or the flat side of a spoon, fine strainer and heat-safe cups. Use green cardamom, not black cardamom; the latter has a different smoky character. Weigh the tea rather than relying on a universal teaspoon measure for different leaf cuts. The finished drink contains milk and caffeine.
Step-by-step method
- Crack the cardamom pods lightly so their dark seeds are exposed. Add pods and seeds to 250 ml water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add 6 g tea and simmer another 2 minutes. The water will turn deep brown.
- Add 250 ml milk and sugar if wanted. Bring the liquid just to a rise, reduce the heat at once and cook at a gentle simmer for 2–3 minutes. Stir once to prevent sticking.
- Strain promptly into two small cups. Let the hot tea cool to a safe sipping temperature before serving.
Elaichi Chai: Cardamom Milk Tea
A cardamom-led Indian milk tea made with black CTC tea, freshly cracked green pods and milk. Makes two small cups.
By Krishna Sahani
No ratings yet · Be the first
Equipment: Small deep saucepan
Mortar or spoon for cardamom
Fine mesh strainer
Two heat-safe cups
Ingredients
Tea and milk
Cardamom and optional sweetener
Instructions
-
Crack the pods
Crack five green cardamom pods to expose the seeds. Bring them to a boil in 250 ml water and simmer 2 minutes. -
Add tea
Add 6 g black CTC tea and simmer 2 minutes. -
Add milk
Add 250 ml milk and optional sugar. Bring just to a rise, lower the heat and simmer gently 2–3 minutes, stirring. -
Strain and serve
Strain promptly into two small heat-safe cups. Yield varies with evaporation.
Brewing notes
Notes
Start with boiling water (about 100°C / 212°F). Simmer cracked cardamom 2 minutes, 6 g black CTC tea 2 minutes, then add 250 ml milk and simmer gently 2–3 minutes. One cooked infusion.
Storage
Serve fresh. Refrigerate leftover milk tea within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C / 90°F; reheat gently.
Ratings
Rate this recipe
Why crack the pods and cook in stages?
Cracking the pods exposes the seeds to water without needing ground spice, which can leave grit in the cup. The water stage gives cardamom time to infuse; adding milk later gives the tea a short, controlled finish. Milk ratio and pod dose are matters of taste. The Tea Board source does not verify TeaTurbo's exact five-pod formula, so adjust only after a physical brew test.
Troubleshooting cardamom chai
- Little cardamom aroma: Check that the pods were fresh and cracked; add one pod in the next batch before increasing the simmer substantially.
- Astringent tea: Reduce the tea-only simmer by about 30–60 seconds or use 1 g less CTC tea.
- Too milky: Shift 50 ml from the milk amount to water next time while keeping the total liquid similar.
- Grit in the cup: Use whole cracked pods, not a large spoonful of fine powder, and strain through a fine sieve.
Variations and serving
For a richer cup, try a higher milk share; for a lighter cup, use more water. Ginger makes a separate ginger-cardamom variation rather than this cardamom-only baseline. A plant milk is a modern substitution that may need a gentler simmer. Serve hot with plain biscuits or toast if you like.
Storage
Serve the freshly strained chai when possible. Refrigerate any leftover milk tea promptly in a covered container; do not leave it out longer than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C / 90°F. Reheat gently rather than repeatedly boiling it. USDA guidance supplies the safety limit. Discard the spent tea and pods.
FAQs
Can I use ground cardamom?
Yes, but it is harder to strain and its intensity varies. Begin with a small pinch and treat it as a separate adjustment.
Is elaichi chai the same as masala chai?
It is a specific cardamom-led chai. Masala chai commonly uses a mixture of spices, although cardamom may be part of it.
Should I leave the seeds in their pods?
Crack the pods so some seeds are exposed, then add both seeds and shells to the pan and strain them out.
Can I make it unsweetened?
Yes. Sugar is optional and can be added to individual cups.
References and further reading
- Tea Board of India: Masala Tea — Indian black tea and chai spices; it does not validate this article's exact amounts.
- USDA: Leftovers and Food Safety — storage time limits for milk-based leftovers.
Related TeaTurbo articles
Editorial note: Research-based preparation; awaiting TeaTurbo hands-on verification. The AI-generated images are illustrations, not photographs of a tested batch. Author attribution in WordPress: Krishna Sahani; editorial drafting assistance by TeaTurbo's AI workflow.
