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May's Recipe:
Masala Chai
MASALA CHAI
Chai is an Hindi word for “TEA”. Chai means a mix of spices steeped into tea like a beverage. A fragrant, spicy tea.
Masala Chai:
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup whole milk (if you use 2% or less then add less water and more milk)
2 tsp of black loose tea (I use Wagh Bakri Premium Tea)
10-12 green cardamom pods (open the pods and use both seeds and the outer layer)
7-8 cloves
½ stick Cinnamon (I use Ceylon Cinnamon-has more health benefits)
Fresh small piece of ginger
Mint
Saffron
Lemon Grass
Tulsi (Holy Basil)
¼ tsp or less Chai masala (recipe on resource page)
Sugar or honey per taste
Preparation:
All these ingredients can be optional, as long as you have the loose tea. If you have just ginger, then just add that to the tea, or just cardamom or just mint or if you have just the chai masala. Also, if you don’t like your tea too spicy then go very easy on ginger, cloves and chai masala. If you like richer, thicker tea, use more milk and less water, or even use all milk, instead of the water, simmering the spices and tea right in the milk. So here is a starting point for you but feel free to improvise and fine tune to your own taste.
1. Bring 1 cup of water to boil in a pot, with the spices and loose tea.
2. As the water starts boiling add the milk to it. Let the Chai simmer.
3. Sweeten to your own taste. You can use sugar, maple syrup, honey (once in the cup) or without any sugar or sweetner.
4. Strain and serve
A delicious morning beverage or afternoon pick-me-up. Do hold the warm cup close to you (be careful if it’s too hot). Close your eyes and take few deep breaths in and let the aroma travel through your nose and to your soul. May the fragrance and warmth of the tea touch your soul and awaken all your senses and bring smile and joy into your life.