These recipes were from a website (
www.cathasspices.com) back in 2006 which now seems to have disappeared. I think there must be as many family variations of spices and quantities as there are cups of tea. . . it's just a matter of experimentation and personal taste!
Basic Chai Tea - (serves 2)
2 cups water
1 Tablespoon of black or green tea leaves
1 Tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
6 whole cloves
small pinch ground ginger
1 cup milk (optional)Put all ingredients except the milk into a suitable saucepan.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 1/2 minutes
Add the milk, baring back to the boil, and simmer for a further 30 seconds
Strain and serve
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Chai Tea - No. 2 - (serves 2)
2 cups water
1/2 cinnamon stick
9 cardamom pods
8 whole cloves
4 teaspoons sugar or honey
3 teaspoons black tea leaves
1 cup milk (optional)
Put all ingredients, except the milk, sugar and black tea, into a suitable saucepan.
Bring to the boil, turn heat down, and simmer for 6 minutes.
Add the milk, sugar and tea leaves, bring back to the boil. and simmer for a further 30 seconds.
Let stand for 2 minutes.
Strain and serve.
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Chai Tea No. 3 - (serves 2)
2
cups water
1 cinnamon stick
10 cardamom pods
6 whole black peppercorns
6 teaspoons sugar or 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
3 teaspoons black tea leavesPut all ingredients, except the sugar and black tea, into a suitable saucepan.
Boil for 5 minutes.
Add the sugar and tea leaves, bring back to the boil, and simmer for a further 30 seconds.
Let stand for 5 minutes.
Strain and serve.
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Chai Tea No. 4 - (serves 6)
7 cups water
4 teaspoons fennel seed
1 1/2 cinnamon sticks
8 cardamom pods
8 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
4 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons black or green tea leaves
1 cup milk (optional)
Put all ingredients, except the milk, and black tea, into a suitable saucepan.
Bring to the boil, turn heat down, and simmer for 6 minutes.
Add the milk and tea leaves, bring back to the boil, and simmer for a further 1 minute.
Let stand for 4 minutes.
Strain and serve.
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Chai Tea No. 5 - (serves 6)
7 cups water
3 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
6 cardamom pods
6 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
Small pinch fenugreek seed
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons black or green tea leaves
1 cup milk (optional)
Place all ingredients, except milk and tea leaves, into a suitable saucepan.
Bring to the boil, turn heat down, and simmer for 6 minutes.
Add the milk and tea leaves, bring back to the boil, and simmer for a further 1 minute.
Let stand for 5 minutes.
Strain and serve.