This chai concentrate is a strongly flavoured mixture you can have on hand for whenever you want to have a cold or hot chai tea beverage. It comprises a blend of warm whole spices, black tea, and sugar, that makes for a delicious drink on hot or cold days throughout the year.
5cardamom podscrushed (or ½ teaspoon cardamom seeds)
2star anise pods
1teaspoonwhole cloves
1teaspoonwhole allspice
½teaspoonblack peppercorns
½inchgingersliced
2cupswater
2-4tablespoonsgrated jaggery, piloncillo, or palm sugar, or brown sugarmore if you like really sweet chai*
1tablespoonloose-leaf black tea
Prevent your screen from going dark
Instructions
To a medium-sized saucepan add the cinnamon stick, crushed cardamom pods, star anise, whole cloves, whole allspice, and black peppercorns. Dry toast them over medium heat for a minute or 2 until fragrant.
Add the ginger slices and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn down to a simmer. Simmer the spices for 10-30 minutes so they can infuse all their flavor into the water.
Then uncover and stir in the granulated sugar until dissolved.
Now take the saucepan off the heat and add the loose-leaf black tea. Let it steep for 5-10 minutes.
Strain the chai tea concentrate through a sieve to remove all the spices and tea leaves. Fill the concentrate into a bottle or other closable container.
To serve cold, add 2 tablespoons** of concentrate to a glass with ice and about 1 cup of milk of your choice.
To serve hot, heat 1 cup of milk (or half milk-half water) and add 1-3 tablespoons of chai concentrate.
Store the chai concentrate refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
* or omit sweetener altogether and add a few drops of liquid stevia as you are preparing each serving**adjust concentrate amount to taste. I recommend 1-3 tablespoons for 1 cup of hot or cold milk
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Chai Concentrate Recipe
Serving Size
2 tablespoons
Amount per Serving
Calories
14
% Daily Value*
Fat
1
g
2
%
Saturated Fat
1
g
5
%
Sodium
3
mg
0
%
Potassium
20
mg
1
%
Carbohydrates
3
g
1
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
2
g
2
%
Protein
1
g
2
%
Vitamin A
4
IU
0
%
Vitamin C
1
mg
1
%
Calcium
12
mg
1
%
Iron
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.