Crush the cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, and cloves until they begin to break down into smaller pieces. You can do this with a mortar and pestle or by placing the whole spices in a kitchen towel and hitting them with a rolling pin or other heavy implement.

Add your crushed spices to a large stock pot along with the ginger root and orange peel. Cover with the 5 cups water. Heat the spices and water over medium high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, allow it to boil for 2-3 minutes then remove the pot from heat. Stir in the dried tulsi, then cover the pot and allow the tea to steep for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes strain the tea. You can compost the spices if you like. What you have is concentrated so in order to enjoy it, you’ll mix the tea with equal parts of the milk of your choice. In other words, if you pour 1/2 cup of chai into your mug, you’ll mix 1/2 cup of milk with it!

You can enjoy your chai iced or hot and add your favorite sweetener as needed. Keep the leftover concentrate in a sealed bottle or container in the fridge and use it within 1-2 weeks.