Chai (tea) spice mix

A lot of people as me "How to make good Chai (tea in the hindi language)".. the key is in the spices and the quality of tea. We all know that the quality of the end product depends on the ingredients that go into what you are making.

So here is a simple "spice mix" for Chai.. Please feel free to add more of what you like, and avoid what ever you don't prefer. For example, I like cardamom a lot, but don't fancy cinnamon too much.. so I add more of cardamom and less of cinnamon. I like to add the saffron and vanilla bean when the water boils, so I usually don't add them in the mix.

Ingredients:
Cardamom - 8 to 10 pods
Clove - 5-6
Cinnamon - 1/4 inch stick
Star Anise - 1/8 inch piece
Ginger powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Saffron - 6-10 strands
Pepper - 1-2 pods
Nutmeg - 1/8 teaspoon
Vanilla bean - 1/8 inch piece

1. Use a coffee grinder/mortar & pestle set/kitchen counter & knife to mix and coarse grind the spices.

2. Store the mix in a air-tight glass/plastic container.

3. Keep the container in the refrigerator or any cool, dry place.

You only need to add 1/2 teaspoon per cup of tea - so make small quantities to ensure that the mix is always fresh.

Quick tips:
- If your cup of chai tastes "perfect" then write down the ingredients (with the exact quantity used.)
If you think you need more of one spice, you can always add it to the mix.
- If you don't like it all together, you can always throw away the mix and start from scratch. Use small quantities of the spices for the "trial" so that you don't feel too bad about throwing away spices..

Let your taste buds decide the ingredients and the quantity of the same..

Try this, and let me know your "mix".

Some useful links to learn more about spices:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spices
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chai

I'm back with Soy Chai

Hello.. I'm back after a brief break.. with a perfect recipe for a snowy day.. we had a snow storm last night, and it is freezing now! I really wanted to drink something hot tea but realized that I ran out of milk.. I had two cartons of Silk Vanilla Soy milk and decided to quickly try to make "Soy Chai".. and it turned out great!!

Here is what you need for two cups of tea (chai):
Water - 1 cup
Soy Milk - 1-1/2 cups
Tea leaves (four teaspoons) or tea bag (3) - the quantity really depends on the type of tea
A mix of spices
Honey/Sugar to taste

Again, please buy recently packed, good quality tea leaves or bags - it makes a lot of difference..

How to:
1. Boil water in a thick bottom vessel until you see bubbles
2. Add 1/2 a teaspoon of spice mix - see my next post for the ingredients
3. Add the tea leaves/tea bag and bring to a boil
4. Add the Soy Milk and bring to a boil
5. Add Sugar/Honey
6. Strain and drink..

I did not add sugar or honey for myself because the soy milk had a hint of vanilla. You can try it without sugar/honey and always add it later if necessary.

The quantity of water and milk can vary depending on how you want your tea. If you want it watery, add more water.. and if you want it thick, you can add more milk

My Famous Choco-chai

This is slightly complicated, but it tastes so good!

Choco-chai is cocoa + tea + spices + milk

I don't add the cocoa all the time, as I like the taste of plain chai.

To make Choco-chai, add 1-2 heaped table spoons of cocoa to the chai (recipe given below). Please see the previous post (Mocha) for information about the chocolate I use. Feel free to use any chocolate that you prefer.

Here is the recipe for chai:
(makes 2 cups)
You'll need:
1/2 cup water
1 to 2 cups milk (based on your preference, you can add skim, 1%, 2% or 4% milk)
Sugar or Honey
Tea powder/bags (see note 1)
Spices (see note 2)

1. Add the spices to the water and Boil
2. Add the milk when the water is hot (medium heat, this takes at least 8 - 10 minutes)
3. Add 2 table spoons of tea powder or 2-3 bags
4. After 30 seconds, add sugar/honey
5. Mix, pour and drink. (of course, you will have to use a tea strainer if using loose tea leaves).

Note 1: Tea Powder/bags - You can use any high-quality black tea leaves. Ensure that the tea is not stale and is not pre-flavoured.

Note 2: I make my own spice mixture. I usually make small quantities, so that the spices taste fresh.

What you need:
Cardamom - 10 pods (I love cardamom so I add extra. )
Cinnamom - 1/4 inch stick
Clove - 2
(Optionally add any of these spices based on your taste buds: Ginger powder, Black Pepper, Nutmeg, All spice, Star Anise)
Grind all in a coffee grinder until coarse

Suggestion: Initially, please make small quantities of this mixture so that you can try out various combinations.