Pic from a tea tweetup at Tea Junction, Dubai, in June 2011

I love tea; I've often talked about it. Apart from finding different places across Dubai to have some, I relish making a nice, hot cup of masala chai for myself at home.

It started with a tweet, over two years ago when I was living in Sheffield, Yorkshire. I saw @whitecrayon_ say he didn't know how to make chai.

HOW CAN ANYONE NOT KNOW HOW TO MAKE CHAI!?

Turns out, a lot have no clue.

What followed was a hilarious Twitter conversation on how to make tea (without a teabag ie); he was unsuccessful but I had promised I would show him how.

Now, over two years later...I shall.

So what pushed me to do it? Recently, I got my food blogger friend Didi hooked onto chai from various Indian restaurants. Promising her the teabag variety was just not good enough, I gave her bottles of loose tea to make at home. And promised her I'd show her how.

Two days after the bottle-gift, I shall.

I actually make really good tea (I'm SOOOOOOOOOOO modest!)...so if you ever pop by my house, ask me to make you a cuppa. It'll convert you to the Cult of the Chai from the Teabag Train of Thought.

Instructions:
- Take one cup of water per mug of tea you want to make in a kettle.
- Put 1 heaped tsp of loose tea per mug (or just slightly more if you like it strong) and start boiling it.
- Put how many ever teaspoons of sugar you want in your mug, and add evaporated milk (I like the Rainbow brand) accordingly.
- Once the water and loose tea mixture comes to a boil, put it on a slow boil and let it bubble for a bit to ensure better and stronger taste in your resulting drink.
- Pour it into your mug through a strainer.
- Stir and enjoy!

Edit: Apart from comments below with alternative ways of making chai with personal touches, here are some Twitter responses to this too:

My life is complete <3 RT @DevinaDivecha: #chai, I've prepared a handy DIY guide: post.ly/58DUv #tea #iloveteaclub

— Hana Younes (@HanaYounes) February 6, 2012

RT @DevinaDivecha: #chai, I've prepared a handy DIY guide: post.ly/58DUv #iloveteaclub << Great post! Even better with spices added!

— Paul Castle (@DaddyBird) February 6, 2012

@DevinaDivecha really sweet post!

— meghamk (@meghamk) February 6, 2012

@DevinaDivecha I am drinking some chai now :) I used low fat milk now, but think evap milk makes the tea so much better.

— Didi Paterno (@didipaterno) February 6, 2012

@devinadivecha i remember when @whitecrayon was trying to make tea late night & he broke a cup and burnt the pot, w/ all of us tweeting tips

— St. Jay Von Skunk (@VonSkunk) February 6, 2012

@VonSkunk @devinadivecha Hahahaha worst chai EVAR! I'm definitely going to need this tutorial.

— Ritesh Jeswani (@whitecrayon) February 6, 2012

@DevinaDivecha good guide! I love rainbow milk I almost teared up when I saw they sold it here. Didn't have it in US!

— Miss N (@movie_mafia) February 6, 2012

@DevinaDivecha in Goa (& apparently Delhi too??) we boil the tea leaves directly in the milk with cardamom. Mmm... perfect for a rainy eve

— Radhina A Coutinho (@RadhinaCoutinho) February 6, 2012