Break the nutmeg using a nutcracker or in a mortar pestle. Peel the black cardamoms if using. Break up the cinnamon stick roughly with your fingers to smaller piece.
Add cinnamon, green cardamoms, star anise and black cardamom peels to a heavy bottom pan and dry roast on a low heat for 3 minutes.
Add cloves, black pepper, black cardamom seeds and fennel seeds. Roast for 2 to 3 mins and add nutmeg. Roast for another minute and stir in the ground ginger.
Turn off the heat and continue to stir until the ginger is hot. Cool down and transfer to a nut grinder and grind to a fine powder.
Cool down and store in a air tight glass or steel container for upto 3 months at room temperature or in the refrigerator/freezer for a year.
Use ¼ tsp per serving of black tea or ½ tsp per serving of milk tea. You can find the recipe to brew your tea in the recipe post.