Preparation
Here is how to prepare the chai tea:
Crack the cardamom pods, cloves, and peppercorns (if you are using them) and put them in a pot. Add thinly sliced ginger, cinnamon sticks, and black tea. If you are using star anise and fennel seeds, you can also add them now. Add the water.
Bring to a low boil and cover. Let it steep for at least 10 minutes on low heat. It will be even better if you leave it on a very low heat for an hour or two. This allows a proper infusion of all the flavors.
Add milk and sugar and stir it while heating until it’s simmering hot again. Let it simmer for a few minutes to allow the milk to bring out the oil from the spices.
Pour into mugs or glasses through a strainer and enjoy!

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Laal Maans is an authentic Rajasthani meat dish. The literal translation of "Laal Maans" is Red Meat. Traditionally, this lamb dish is prepared with red chillies and curd. However, the recipe I followed, doesn't use curd.

MAKES
one 11-inch tart; serves 8

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Our favorite Drinks:
Aperol Spritz

Linguine with Clams from Babbo, via Bill Buford

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There are countless different variations of masala chai tea and selection of ingredients to use. Even when choosing what kind of black tea to use, there are hundreds of choices. This recipe here is my favorite version but I also make it a little bit different every time.
Milk and Sugar
I recommend using organic full-fat milk for making the chai. If you don’t want to use dairy, you can also use plant-based milk. My favorite from plant-based options is almond milk. For the sweetener, sugar is the traditional option. I often use organic raw honey instead of sugar.
Spices
For the spices, I recommend using organic high-quality ingredients as much as possible. The most important ingredients in addition to milk and black tea are fresh ginger, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon. The other ingredients are optional, but I prefer always adding some star anise.
To make things a bit easier, you can also use a ready-made blend of spices.