Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Masala Chai (Spicy Tea)

Masala Chai
Here's a recipe for Masala Chai. You can easily make your own chai for a fraction of the cost of coffee/tea house chai and it is more flavorful too. Serve it steaming hot or cold over ice cubes depending on the weather or your inclination!

According to my sister the green tea adds fragrance while the black adds body! The spices are considered digestive particularly after a rich meal. My mother used to add a little crushed black pepper during cold season to alleviate coughs. It is also refreshing and restoring after a hard day's work. A cup of Masala Chai with a couple of shortbread cookies, buttered toast or samosas makes for a lovely snack. Enjoy!

4 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups Milk, any kind
2 cups water
2 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped and crushed well or finely grated
sugar or honey to taste
7 cardamom pods, crushed well
2 tsp each, black and green tea leaves
1 tsp whole black pepper, lightly crushed (optional)

Method:

Bring the water to a boil with the spices. Add milk and the teas and bring to a boil again. Turn off heat, strain, and sweeten with sugar or honey. Serve piping hot by itself or with snacks. Enjoy!!

Variations: More cardamom or ginger may be used if a spicier version of tea is preferred. One teaspoon of fennel or anise seeds, a few cloves, and a cinnamon stick may be used along with the other spices if desired. Whole or low fat milk can be used as preferred. One can also add a little cream for a richer tea. 

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Another delicious addition to this great blog!

I tried the Masala Chai and enjoyed it very much. I enjoy tea with a lot of milk.