Masala Tea Ingredients 6 cups cold water 1/3 cup milk (plus a bit more for later) 2 to 2.5 (depending upon mood and freshness) 3" sticks cinnamon 6 green cardamom pods, whole 4 cloves, whole 7 black peppercorns 1/2 cup sugar 6 heaping tsp leaf tea (preferably Assam) or 9 tea bags Instructions Combine water and milk in a deep saucepan, and bring to a boil. (It will quickly boil over, so keep an eye on it.) Turn off heat. Add the spices. Cover the pan, and let the spices soak for at least 10 minutes. Add the tea leaves or tea bags, and bring the water to a second boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Strain the tea into a warm teapot, add sugar and a bit more milk, and serve immediately. (makes 8 servings) (Reheating and serving much later works.)