How I did it: Jon and I took a class on Indian cooking from a local cooking instruction group called Culinary Communion. We learned how to make a variety of really amazing authentic Indian dishes, including how to bake fresh naan and how to make a killer Indian chai. There is no substitute for real chai. It's the spices that make it... I think that in India, the milk was mostly from buffalo, but I doubt you could locate that easily in the US.

Lessons & tips: Pour it back and forth between two containers to aerate it. Don't skip the cardamom and make sure to also use a good thick whole milk for that rich spicy flavor.

Resources: If you're in Seattle, WA USA, try "The Souk" for affordable cardamom and other Indian spices. It's down in the Pike Place Market on the strip near the original Starbucks. (look for a small storefront with belly dancing jewelry hanging in the window).

Oct 26, 2008, 08:48PM PDT | 0 comments | 1 cheer