Chai Tea Recipe

1. Start with 2 cups water in a small sauce pan.
2. Peel and chop a 1⁄4 - 1⁄2 inch of fresh ginger. Add to water. Turn on medium heat.
3. Add:
   • 5 pods of cardamom and a pinch of ground cardamom
   • 1 cinnamon stick and a pinch of ground cinnamon
   • 1 pinch ground ginger
   • 1-2 anise pods
   • 2-3 clove pods
   • 1/8 tsp ground black pepper.
4. Boil gently for 20 minutes. Add more water if necessary.
5. Strain into a mason jar for storage. Add mixture of tea to taste.

I keep this mixture in the fridge and add to my fresh black tea each morning or afternoon. You can heat the spices with your milk. Add sweetener to your cup.

You can brew whole-leaf black Assam tea in a tea maker or tea infuser and add spices, milk and sweetener. Brewed tea can be re-infused multiple times; the caffeine levels go down with each infusion.

The water should be heated to 212 degrees and steeped for 2 minutes.

I keep the used tea in the refrigerator and re-use up to 6 or more times.

In India, they drink the strong first infusions in the morning with less milk and honey. In the afternoon, they drink the less caffeinated tea, with more spices and milk.

Schedule an Ayurvedic Health Counseling Session with René to go deeper and discuss specific lifestyle and food programs specifically for you.