Ingredients

• 10 green cardamom pods, cracked, seeds removed, and pods discarded, or 1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds or ground cardamom
• 1 (1 1/2-inch) piece cinnamon stick
• 4 peppercorns (preferably white)
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 cups whole milk
• 3 1/2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 cups water
• 5 teaspoons loose orange pekoe tea or other black tea
• Equipment: a mortar and pestle or an electric coffee/spice grinder

Instructions

1. Grind together cardamom, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and fennel seeds with mortar and pestle or coffee/spice grinder.
2. Bring milk just to a simmer in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Stir or whisk in brown sugar, ground spice mixture, ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes to infuse flavors.
3. Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a 1-quart saucepan, add tea, and boil 1 minute.
4. Pour tea through a fine-mesh sieve into hot milk mixture (discard tea leaves) and cook over low heat 1 minute. Stir before serving.