How to make Ginger and Spicy Chai at Home
Morning Cup Of Tea
For me, getting up in the morning and drinking a well-made, hot cup of Indian chai while watching the sunrise in our garden is the highlight of my day. Indian chai reminds me of my childhood days in India where the family would wake up at the crack of dawn to drink a warm cup of tea to start the day. Every sip was relaxing and made me feel fresh for the day. As I have learned growing up in a small village in India that chai takes a lot of skill to brew; every individual has a different taste and therefore a different way of making it. The chai has to come out just right for the individual to feel that relaxation when he/she sips it. After all, Indian chai is much more than a hot cup of tea: it is a magical sensation made with a whole lot of care and love.
Here are two kinds of Indian Chai tea recipes: Ginger Chai Tea(the most common) and a Spicier version of that (my husband’s favorite).
Ginger Chai Tea Recipe:
This is what I usually make on weekdays because it is the fastest but still has that pizzazz from the ginger. Hope you enjoy!
Ingredients: crushed fresh ginger, 3 cups filtered or bottle water, 4 tbsp brown sugar, 7-8 basil leaves (optional), 5 Lipton tea bags, creamer or milk.
~Add 3 cups of water into a teapot; let it boil (3-4 minutes)
~Once boiling, add the crushed ginger, basil leaves and sugar (add more of these ingredients according to personal taste)
~let the tea brew in boiling water for 1-2 minutes then turn off stove, add the 5 Lipton tea bags and cover the pot with lid
~After 3 minutes uncover the lid and filter the tea into 3 cups using a tea strainer then add creamer or milk according to taste and VOILA! Eat with your favorite snack! Never drink tea without snack.
This one is a little longer to make (10 minutes) because it has a healthier twist but the end result is worth the wait!
Ingredients: 3 cups of water, ½ tsp fennel seed, 7-8 basil leaves, 1 tsp fresh ginger crushed or thinly sliced, 2 cloves, 10 fresh mint leaves,1 cardamom, black pepper, 5 spoons of brown sugar, 4 Lipton tea bags and creamer/fat free milk (optional).
~ pour 3 cups of filtered water in a stainless steel vessel and add all the ingredients including (not the milk). Wait for it to boil.
~ Once water boils for 1 minute add the 4 Lipton bags and cover lid turn off the stove. As soon as the tea bags have seeped for 5 minutes with lid covered, pour it in the cups and add creamer or milk. You can skip the milk and drink with lemon also.
"Drinking tea is actually better for you than drinking water. Water is essentially replacing fluid. Tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants, so it's got two things going for it," said Dr. Carrie Ruxton, nutrition team leader.
