Melanie's Chai
Makes 2 1/2 cups
Chai is a traditional drink throughout the Middle and Far East. The flavors and ingredients vary widely, and some recipes include black tea. This is a decaffeinated version specifically formulated to improve digestion. (See page 24 for more about the history of chai.)
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 to 4 whole peppercorns
• 8 to 10 cardamom pods
• 1/2 cup milk (or use almond, soy, or oat milk)
• Nutmeg powder and honey to taste
1. In a medium-sized saucepan with a lid, combine the water, ginger, cinnamon, peppercorns, and cardamom pods. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.
2.Add the milk and simmer an additional 10 minutes.
3. Strain into mugs, sprinkle nutmeg on top, and sweeten with honey, if desired.
Christopher Hobbs’s case studies are gleaned from his thirty years of studying and practicing herbalism. Hobbs, a fourth-generation botanist and herbalist, is an Herbs for Health Editorial Advisory Board member and licensed acupuncturist. He is the author of St. John’s wort: The Mood Enhancing Herb, (Botanica, 1997), Stress and Natural Healing, (Botanica, 1997), and many other books.
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