Chai Tea Time At Home

When I'm out for a coffee with a friend or the hubster, my first pick is not a Chai Latte. Soy Latte's all the way for me! But I guess it's because I've never really tried a shop bought one that I thought was actually nice? Sunday here had torrential rain all day and all night, and so I mainly spent it indoors pottering around the kitchen and lazing on the couch. And even though our apartment doesn't get that cold, for some reason, I really felt like having something warm and spicy. I was flicking through the latest Donna Hay magazine and came across a Chai Tea recipe...boiled it up...and quite liked it!

I rimmed this milk bottle with chocolate and nuts, mainly for decorative purposes... but also...I felt, if I didn't like the Chai Tea...then I would at least have the chocolate to help take off the edge.

Maybe it was the niceness of crushing up your own spice blend and then spelling the cinnamon-y spicy smells waft through the house. Either way, it sure was delish, and no funny tummy afterwards, success! :) Next time I'll be trying this out with Soy Milk or Almond Milk, and maybe researching around for a good Indian Chai recipe! I'm also hoping to try out Donna's Chai Tea Cakes!

Chai Tea Recipe

adapted from Donna Hay Magazine Issue 69

Ingredients:

• 3 Star Anise

• 2 Tsp Cardamom pods

• 2 Sticks Cinnamon

• 1 Tsp Whole Cloves

• 1 TBSP Shredded Coconut / couple drops of Natural Coconut essence

• 1 English Breakfast tea bag / Any black tea bag

• 310ml milk (I used A2... also try substituting with Almond or Soy milk, and forgo the shredded coconut above)

• Manuka honey - however much you want to sweeten to your taste

Steps:

1.     Place the star anise, cardamom pods, cinnamom and cloves in a mortar and pestle, lightly crush the spices.

2.     Place the crushed spices and coconut in a disposable loose leaf tea bag or wrap it up in a muslin square cloth

3.     Place the milk , spice bag and the tea bag in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook for 4-5 mins, or until the milk is just about to boil.

4.     Take out the tea bag and spice bags, stir in some Manuka honey to your taste, and serve immediately in any fashion you like (in a big mug with a cinnamon stick...or in a milk bottle to sip slowly as you like)

Serves 1... double it for 2 :)

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