Indian spices with an artistic flair. That is about how I would describe the appearance of star anise, whole cloves, and cardamon pods. Their lack of vibrant color known in most indian spices surely is made up for by their shapely form and unique textures.
Apparently, Chai dates back over 5000 years with it’s roots in Ayurvedic medicine. With both Indian and British influences, masala chai is a combination of sweet and savory spices boiled and then steeped with a black tea. It can then be mixed with milk and sweetened with honey or sugar. In India, Chai is readily available and traditionally served in low-fired clay
cups called “chullurhs” that they make on an open fire.
So next time you are in the grocery store, resist the temptation to visit the Starbucks bar or purchase one of the cartons of concentrated chai which contains a fair amount of sugar (I know it is hard) and instead visit the spice aisle and load up on the basic necessities to brew your own chai tea. The companies that sell a concentrated version of the drink tend to have a lot of sugar. For a decaf version, try rooibos instead of the black tea. The traditional recipe for masala chai uses black tea, though you can experiment by using different teas or a combination of peppercorns, ginger and possibly fennel to make it your own.
Chai tea is also great on the list of antioxidants, so load up!
Chai
Serves hot or chilled
2 cups water
3 pods cardamom
2-inch piece of cinnamon
4 cloves
1 star anise
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons sugar (or Honey)
4/5 teaspoons of Darjeeling tea
Garnish with ground cinnamon
Bring the water to a boil in a small pot. Add the cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and star anise. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the milk and sugar (or Honey). When the mixture has come up to a simmer again turn off the heat and add the tea. Cover and let steep 5 minutes. Strain into cups.
Serves about 4
