This traditional chai tea has been made for many, many generations by thousands of Indian housewives who knew that good food is never cooked in a hurry. They take their time to prepare their tea from scratch with spices that are as fresh as possible. Add some fluffy, dairy-free milk of your choice (or raw milk) and you have a Chai Latte! Snuggle up to watch a movie with one of these – it feels like such a yummy treat and yet it is filled with wonderful Indian spices to stimulate your digestive system.
RECIPE DETAILS
20 minutes
9
All JasonShonBennett.com recipes are made from 100% plant-based wholefoods. All are animal-free, dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan. They are also gluten-free (except for the occasional recipes containing jumbo rolled oats).
INGREDIENTS
1 tsp ground black pepper
3 Tbsp grated fresh ginger root
6 cardamom pods
1 long cinnamon stick (25cm or so)
3 tsp cloves
8 cups of water
3 rooibos tea bags (or organic black tea)
1 ½ cups quality milk alternative (I use soy milk)
optional Manuka honey for sweetening
PREPARATION
1. Crush the black pepper, ginger root, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick and cloves together.
2. Pour 8 cups of water into a saucepan and add the crushed spices and tea bags along with the optional seeds from the vanilla pod – see Chef’s Hint.
3. Bring to a boil and turn down to a healthy simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Take out the teabags at this point to prevent the tea becoming too strong.
5. In a separate saucepan, warm ¼ cup of soy milk per person. Once hot, place into a Bodum or milk ‘frother’ and pump till fluffy.
6. Using a strainer or teapot with strainer, fill the desired number of cups up to ¾ full with the chai brew.
7. At this point, add a small amount of Manuka honey if desired and stir through. Top immediately with the frothy milk and decorate (if you are that way inclined) with some ground cinnamon.
8. If serving in a pot, you can garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Enjoy and make sure you serve it in a big cup!
