MAKE YOUR OWN CHAI TEA, THE HOMEMADE WAY!

Many people out there love the spiced and frothy drink called chai.  Chai is the Hindu word for tea.  The recipe was a royal secret in the ancient courts of India and Siam, and legend says that chai was invented by a king.  You can get it at your local Starbucks, or on the grocery store shelves.  Most of the time, you are simply adding milk to a mysterious and somewhat syrupy liquid and calling it delicious.  Yet no one realizes how easy it is to make your own at home.  Here is a light hearted but welcoming recipe to this classic and tasty beverage.



HOMEMADE CHAI TEA RECIPE

2 cups water
1/4 cup Darjeeling or Ceylon Tea Leaves or 5 regular size tea bags
1 cup milk
1 cup half and half (lowfat is okay)
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
3 cloves, crushed
2 black peppercorns, crushed
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

PREPARATION:

1) In a medium size saucepan, bring the water to a gentle boil.  Stir the tea leaves into the water.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the milk, half and half, cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, and ginger.  Increase the heat and bring to a full boil, being careful not to let the milk boil over.
2) Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh-strainer into a heatproof container.  Stir in the condensed milk.
3) Let cool, then chill and serve over ice.

Makes 4 servings.

FOR MAXIMUM FLAVOR:

To crush the peppercorns and cloves, use the edge of a saute pan.  For even fresher, bolder flavors, use whole cardamom seeds ground in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.  For a variation, try adding 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract with the condensed milk.