Indian Style Masala Tea

What makes Masala tea Authentic? The answer would be, the use of spices. One thing is for certain, every single person probably has their own unique combination of spices they prefer in their masala chai and there is no one "right" way. Here is the process to make authentic Masala Chai, like India, using whole spices.
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: cup
Ingredients
5–7 green cardamom pods
3–4 whole cloves
1–2-star anise
5–7 peppercorns
1 cup of water
2–3 slices ginger
½ cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons black tea
1 cup milk
2–3 teaspoons sugar or alternative
Instructions
Lightly crush cardamom, cloves, star anise and peppercorns, and place in a small pot with 1 cup of water. Add ginger, cinnamon and black tea. Muddle the ginger a bit.
Bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let seep for 10 minutes or for several hours. The longer, the more flavour.
Add milk. Bring to a simmer once more, turn off the heat.
Sweeten the tea and strain the tea into a glass to get the authentic feeling.