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Two small white cups of chai placed on matching blue plates.
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Homemade Pakistani Chai (Authentic)

Authentic Pakistani Chai is made with whole milk, loose tea, and cardamom. It's creamy and frothy, just like the real deal!
Course Beverages, Breakfast
Cuisine Indian, Pakistani/Indian
Prep Time 0 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 164kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 green cardamom
  • 3 teaspoons loose black tea
  • 2 teaspoons sugar or to taste

Instructions

  • Bring milk and water to a boil in a saucepan, mixing it constantly using a ladle.
  • Add the cardamom pods, and continue cooking the milk for 2-3 minutes to infuse the milk with cardamom flavor.
  • Now add the black tea, and keep cooking the milk while mixing it with the ladle in upward and downward movements for 3-4 minutes. Bring to a boil to 3-4 times for it to develop its flavor and color fully. See video for reference.
  • When the color of the tea has darkened to your liking, add sugar and mix for 1-2 minutes.
  • Using a tea strainer, pour the tea into cups and enjoy!

Video

Notes

  1. Milk: For this chai recipe, it's highly recommended to use whole milk, for the creamiest results. You may also use skim or low-fat milk, but the chai won't be as creamy and frothy. I do not recommend using evaporated milk or powder milk for this recipe. 
  2. Cardamom: Use fresh cardamom pods for this recipe. You can also substitute with cardamom powder, if that's what you have on hand. 
  3. Loose Black Tea: Authentic Pakistani chai calls for loose black tea as it has the most flavor as opposed to tea bags. If you can find Quetta tea leaves that is the best option here. But I usually use Lipton or Tetley with great results. You can also use tea bags, but the flavor may vary. 
  4. Sugar: This is optional, and can be skipped or replaced with your choice of sweetener. 
  5. More Spice Options: If you want to add more whole spices to your chai, then you can add a couple of pieces of cinnamon sticks, cloves, or even a small piece of crushed ginger. 

Nutrition

Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 107mg | Potassium: 325mg | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 395IU | Calcium: 277mg | Iron: 1mg