Hot and Spicy Himalayan Tea (Authentic Chai Tea)

Curry may keep me in love with Indian cuisine, but chai tea is my first moment of attraction. This is the real stuff, folks. Perfect for a winter night or anytime you need something sweet and spicy.

Ingredients:
1 tbls fennel seeds
6 green cardamom pods
12 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 .25-inch piece fresh gingerroot
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
6 tablespoons honey or light brown sugar
7 cups of water
2 tablespoons Darjeeling tea (or Assam or any other loose leaf black tea)
1 cup milk

Instructions:
Place all ingredients except the tea and milk in a pot. Cover and boil over medium heat for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the tea leaves, and set aside for 10 minutes. Add the milk and bring to a boil. Strain the tea into teacups and serve hot with dessert.

Additional notes:
I really like the spice in this drink, so I usually ramp up the hotter ingredients. I've gone as far as 1 tbls of peppercorns and 1/2-inch piece of gingerroot.

Avoid using powdered cinnamon! It glumps into a kind of sludge at the bottom, and doesn't add as much flavor as cinnamon sticks. I've upped it to 2 cinnamon sticks, again, because I enjoy the flavor.

A quick dash of vanilla adds something more to this already complex drink. Try it some time!

I've substituted various types of milks to see which works best. Skim is a little too thin. Half and half is just...decadent. Whole milk is definitely where it's at.