I lived in India and Nepal and traveled through Bhutan, Sikkim and Darjeeling, and got used to drinking "masala cha" or Indian spiced chai many times per day. Today is an at home snow day and what better treat but to make a giant pot of warm tea to keep on hand! There are a lot of things that claim to be authentic chai, sold in modern coffee shops, Starbucks and even some ready-made ones like Bhakti chai, in all honesty not one of them are even slightly reminiscent of what Indians really drink. However I've cracked the code and found the most authentic recipe and this one is even dairy free and sugar free but still really sweet, light and creamy, and.. spicy!
Craft your own individual tea based on taste. Some people like it's sweeter, some people like it spicier than some people like to omit the pepper and ginger. The traditional recipe calls for whole milk and regular sugar, which of course you can substitute if you want to have it taste exactly like it tastes in India and Nepal. These herbs, in Tibetan medicine have a deeply nutritive effect as well as being flavorful. Cheers!