Easy autumn recipe: Chai tea

I don't know about you, but when it's cold outside I just can't get enough of hot drinks. I have tea or coffee almost every day, and the tea I usually turn to is chai. I have a great recipe for chai tea that I want to share with you. It's not a very precise recipe - it usually just involves me throwing a whole bunch of random spices into some milk and warming it up. But for your sake I tried to make it more accurate!

Chai tea

Ingredients (for one large mug of tea):

8-10 cardamom seeds

4 whole cloves

2-3 black peppercorns

1 allspice berry

2 coriander seeds

1 cinnamon stick

1 cup milk

1 cup water

2 black tea bags (English breakfast is what I use, but you could use almost any other black tea, although I wouldn't recommend Earl Gray)

Sugar, to taste

1. Place the spices (except for the cinnamon stick) in a plastic bag and crush with a heavy skillet. (I made the tea with the spices crushed one day, and un-crushed the next, and I can tell you that it tastes better if they're crushed.) You really don't have to use all the spices listed - the recipe I got this from didn't include the allspice berry or the coriander seeds.

2. Place the crushed spices in a medium saucepan, along with the cinnamon stick, milk, and water. Bring to a boil. (You may want to watch the pot, because when it starts to boil, it will boil over quickly.) Remove from heat, add the tea bags, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes.

3. Strain into a mug. Add 1-2 teaspoons sugar or more, to taste.