The Spread of Serious Chai Tea: 220 Volt Chai

By Susan Clotfelter
Published on August 6, 2010
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Photo by manthatcooks/Courtesy of Flickr/http://www.flickr.com/photos/manthatcooks/
Unique spice combinations provide an extra kick to this chai tea.

<p>
<strong>220 Volt Chai</strong>
<br />
Sheron Buchele<br />
<br />
Serves 4 to 5</p>
<p>
<em>This is a “stay-up-all-night-writing-that-presentation-and-then-go-sell-it” chai. It’s an “oh, my stars, I’ve got three days’ work to cram into the next five hours” chai. It’s a boot to the head and a bite to the tongue.</em>
</p>
<p>• 1/4 teaspoon cloves<br />
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds<br />
• 1 tablespoon chopped gingerroot, or<br />
• 1/2 teaspoon dried, cut-and-sifted<br />
• 1/2 teaspoon white peppercorns<br />
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds<br />
• 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds<br />
• 1 teaspoon allspice<br />
• 1 teaspoon dried Siberian ginseng<br />
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg<br />
• 1 whole star anise<br />
• 3 cinnamon sticks<br />
• 3 cups cold water<br />
• 1 heaping tablespoon strong black<br />
tea leaves<br />
• 2 cups milk<br />
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
• Sugar to taste</p>
<p>1. Bruise or crush the spices in a mortar and pestle. Simmer them with the water in a saucepan, tightly covered, for 10 minutes.</p>
<p>2. Warm a teapot with hot water, pour it out, add the tea leaves, and strain the hot spice water into the pot. Cover the pot with a towel or tea cozy and steep for 4 minutes.</p>
<p>3. Meanwhile, heat the milk to just below simmering. Off heat, add the vanilla.</p>
<p>4. To serve, spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar (or more to taste) into each cup. Fill the cup halfway with tea and top up with hot milk. Stir.</p>
<p>
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<em>When she isn’t tracking down food trends and scoping out gourmet groceries, Susan Clotfelter edits herb books for Interweave Press in Loveland, Colorado.</em>
<p>Back to <a href=”https://www.motherearthliving.com/mother-earth-living/chai-high.aspx”>The Spread of Serious Chai Tea.</a>
</p>

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