Chai tea

Description

A traditional drink of India, Masala Chai has become a popular beverage worldwide. While you may certainly purchase teabags at your local grocery store, you will achieve a more authentic flavor if you make it yourself, bouquet garni style, using the following recipe.

• For eight servings:

Ingredients

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• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger root; grated
• 1 whole star anise broken up
• 1 teaspoon orange peel; grated
• 4 pieces cinnamon sticks; 1½ inch
• 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
• 10 whole cloves
• 5 whole peppercorns
• 5 cups water
• ¼ cup black tea leaves; (like Assam or Darjeeling)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ cup honey
• 3 cups skim milk

Method

1. Bundle up the first seven ingredients in a length of cheese cloth and tie it together with a string. This is called a bouquet garni (pronounced "boo-KAY gar-NEE").
2. Place the bouquet garni in a pot of water. The string should be tied to the handle for easy removal later on.
3. Bring the water to a very low boil, then reduce the heat and simmer. Boiling water may extract too much bitterness from the tea leaves.
4. Add tea leaves and continue simmering for 15 minutes.
5. Remove the bouquet garni.
6. Strain the remaining liquid through a sieve to remove tea leaves.
7. Add honey, vanilla, and milk.
8. Serve. Pour the mixture over crushed ice if you're serving it cold.