Chai
From the kitchen of Kathleen Van Evera.
I actually got this recipe from Gabi Von Ballmoos.
Adjust the amounts of spices to suit your personal taste.
Ingredients
- large pot of water
- 2-5 dried red chili peppers[1]
- 3 10cm cinnamon sticks
- 18-22 whole cloves
- 18-22 cardamom pods, or about 1½ teaspoon ground cardamom in cheese cloth or a tea ball
- 3 black tea bags or equivalent of loose black tea
- milk (optional)
- sugar (optional)
[1] Use two if you’re not used to spicy foods—and five if you like-a the spicy.↩
Instructions
- Add chili peppers, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and cardamom to large pot of water.
- Heat to boiling.
- Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes. (I press the chili peppers against the side of the pot once or twice for a little extra kick. ;-) )
- If you’d like to add black tea, do so now and steep to desired strength. (I usually steep it for about another 20 minutes.)
- Remove the spices.
- If desired, add milk and/or sugar to taste. (Milk and sugar take away some of the bite if your Chai is a little too spicy. Milk and sugar can also be added individually after served.)
- Pour into serving containers.