Ingredients:

1. 2-3 cinnamon sticks (about 2-3 inches each)
2. 10-12 green cardamom pods
3. 1 tablespoon whole cloves
4. 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
5. 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
6. 1 small piece of dried ginger (about 1 inch)
7. 1-2 dried red chili peppers (adjust to taste, optional)
8. 1 nutmeg, cracked into pieces (or use 1-2 teaspoons of ground nutmeg)
9. 10-12 whole allspice berries (optional)
10. 5-6 star anise pods (optional)

Instructions:

1. Begin by breaking the cinnamon sticks into smaller pieces. You can use a mortar and pestle or a rolling pin to do this.
2. Crush the green cardamom pods to release the seeds.
3. In a dry skillet or pan, toast the broken cinnamon sticks, green cardamom pods, whole cloves, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, dried ginger, and dried red chili peppers (if using) over low-medium heat. Toast them until they become fragrant and slightly darker in color, stirring frequently. This should take about 2-3 minutes.
4. Remove the toasted spices from the heat and let them cool to room temperature.
5. Once cooled, transfer the toasted spices to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Grind them into a fine powder.
6. Add the cracked nutmeg, whole allspice berries (if using), and star anise pods (if using) to the ground spice mixture.
7. Grind all the ingredients together until you have a uniform chai masala blend.
8. Store the homemade chai masala in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. It should remain flavorful for several months.

To Use Chai Masala:

1. When making chai tea, add a pinch of the homemade chai masala to the boiling water along with your tea leaves or tea bags. The amount you use will depend on your personal taste, but starting with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per cup is a good guideline.
2. You can also add milk and sugar to the chai according to your preferences, making it a creamy and sweetened beverage.
3. Adjust the quantity of chai masala based on your desired level of spiciness and flavor. It’s common to customize chai to suit individual tastes.

Homemade chai masala allows you to tailor the spice blend to your liking and enjoy the freshest and most aromatic flavors in your chai tea.