This recipe appeared as my October column in my local newspaper, The Hinton Voice - this recipe is courtesy of their reporter Cynthia Bigrigg, who makes wicked awesome chai tea!
[A couple of months
back my friend Cynthia (and reporter at the Voice) and I were chatting
recipes. She mentioned that she brews
her own chai tea, often several times a month. Upon hearing this I immediately
made plans with her to share the recipe with you all this fall. Well fall is now upon us, so the other night while
brightly colored leaves swirled to the ground, we got together and made this
recipe. Let me tell you, it was the best
darn chai tea I have ever tasted!
This chai tea can be
made as a concentrate and stored for up to a week in the fridge – though
guaranteed it will be long gone well before the week is over. You can add the cooled mixture to cold milk
for a delicious iced chai, or warm it up for a steaming hot mug of this popular
beverage.
So what is chai tea
exactly? In India, the word “chai” simply means tea. Here in the west it refers specifically to a
spiced Indian style of tea – a tea made with traditional Indian spices and
milk. Often times this beverage is
referred to as masala chai, which is actually more popular in India than
coffee!
Chai itself has a
history that dates back thousands of years.
Through those thousands of years it has evolved to include countless variations
and a worldwide fan base. You can find chai
tea lattes in nearly any coffeehouse, and now, in the comforts of your own
kitchen without the use of processed syrups and chemicals.
Legend has it that a
king was the first to create chai as a cleansing and vivifying beverage. While I doubt I will be serving it to royalty
anytime soon, I can’t think of a better beverage to accompany a good book, a
quiet moment of reflection, or a visit with a dear friend.]
Recipe makes 6-7 cups
of tea
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 star anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 10 whole cloves
- 6 whole allspice
- 6 white peppercorns
- 5 black peppercorns
- 2 cardamom pods
- 2 + teaspoons black tea
- 3 cups water
- 4 cups whole milk
- honey to taste (optional)
Directions
1) Boil spices with
water
2) Remove from
heat. Steep, covered for 5 minutes.
3) Bring mixture back
to a boil. Add tea, remove from
heat. Steep 15 minutes, then
strain.
4) If serving right
away, add milk and heat through. If
storing mixture, add milk as desired. If
you prefer your chai sweet, add a bit honey to taste.
- Nutritional Info (per
serving) -
Calories – 91 Fat - 5 Carbs – 7
Protein - 5 Fibre - 0
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
A friend once told me that bringing the chai to the boil and taking it off several times gives the tea more body!
ReplyDeleteOh yum, I love chai! It's such a nice drink to warm up with when the weather is rainy or cold.
ReplyDelete