1/4 cup loose tea OR 3 tea bags (black or chai. I use black Assam tea from the DFM -cheap and good)
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise (or some fennel seeds)
a couple of generous pinches of black peppercorns
a couple of generous pinches of cardamom seed (crush the green pods, or buy the seeds already de-podded and use those - they look like black papper and are at the DFM
several coins of fresh ginger (I buy this jarred, but you can just slice some, no need to skin it
Instructions:
Strain this and pour into teacups with sugar and warm milk to taste. You need full-fat milk at the very least -- half and half tastes best.