Elaichi Chai Recipe: How Many Cardamom Pods and When to Add Them

For two cups of elaichi chai, crack 2 to 3 green cardamom pods and boil them in the water for a minute before the tea goes in. That early boil is what brings the cardamom smell through. Pods added at the end with the milk give a much fainter cup.

In Idukki, where cardamom grows, elaichi chai is the everyday tea, nothing special about it. With fresh pods you need very little, and you notice it from the first sip.

Ingredients (2 cups)

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons black tea (leaf or granules)
• 2 to 3 green cardamom pods
• 2 teaspoons sugar, or to taste

Method

1. Crack the cardamom. Press each pod with the flat of a knife or the back of a spoon until it splits and the seeds show. No need to powder them.
2. Boil the cardamom in the water. Put the pods, husk and all, into the water, bring to a boil and simmer for about 1 minute.
3. Add the tea. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until the colour turns deep.
4. Add milk and sugar. Bring back to a boil, let it rise once, lower the heat and let it rise a second time.
5. Strain and serve straight away.

Why boil the cardamom with the water first?

Cardamom's smell comes from aromatic oils held inside the seeds. A minute in boiling water gives those oils time to come out before the tea and milk arrive. Cardamom dropped in at the last moment barely has time to infuse, so you end up adding more pods for less flavour.

How many pods per cup?

With fresh cardamom, 1 to 1½ pods per cup is plenty. Start at the low end and go up only if you want it stronger.

Need four or five pods before you taste anything? The cardamom is probably old. Fresh pods are green, plump and closed, and the seeds inside are dark and a little sticky. Crush one between your fingers and it should smell strong right away.

Whole pods, seeds or powder?

• Cracked whole pods: the easiest option. The husk adds little flavour but does no harm, and it gets strained out.
• Seeds only: slightly stronger per pod. Worth it if you're making a big pot.
• Cardamom powder: quick, but ground cardamom loses its smell within weeks. Grind a small amount at a time if you'd rather use powder.

Our post on cardamom pods vs powder goes into this in more detail.

Mistakes that leave chai without aroma

• Adding cardamom with the milk. The most common reason chai doesn't smell of elaichi.
• Too many pods. Past a point, cardamom turns the tea sharp, almost medicinal.
• Boiling the tea too long. More than a few minutes makes it bitter and hides the cardamom.
• Storing cracked pods. Crack them right before use. Once opened, the seeds fade fast.

Easy variations

• With ginger: add a small piece of crushed ginger with the cardamom.
• With a clove: one clove alongside the cardamom makes the cup warmer and deeper.
• Without milk: cardamom black tea with a little sugar. Light and clean.

For the frothy, pulled tea of Kerala's tea shops, see our chayakada chai recipe.

A shortcut for busy mornings

If you drink elaichi chai daily and don't want to crack pods every morning, our cardamom tea is black tea already blended with whole cardamom. If you enjoy doing it yourself, a pack of whole Idukki cardamom and a spoon is all you need.