Chai recipe exchange

[Mr Flibble]

Chai has many different meanings, but those of us from the uk festival / free party scene will know it as a sweet, warm, milky, spicy tea. The basic recipe is cinamon, cloves, cardamon, ginger, vanilla, black tea, water, milk, sugar - but different people use different things and make up their own blends based on ratios, how long it's steeped for etc.

Before i turned vegan I was buying it places made with soya milk, which seems to be quite accepted amongst omnis as a valid ingrediant for it as opposed to cows milk.

My own recipe changes each time i make it and i generally don't measure things out, but I did this time so i can share it. I have a mug infront of me as i type this and it tastes pretty good. I don't have any cardamon at the moment, so the method i used was as follows:

400ml boiling water in a pan on a medium heat with 1 tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 inch cinamon stick, 2 cm vanilla pod simmered for 15 mins. 1 black tea bag added and stirred for 2 mins then removed. Finally 200ml of soya milk added and bought back to the boil (approx 10 mins).

This can then be left on the stove on a low heat with a lid for however long, then strained into mugs when served and sugar added to taste (i like mine sweet - approx 3 tsp).

Anyone else wanna share any blends? I have been known to add lots of extra cloves before when I've had a toothache, it's very soothing and makes the mouth go numb :D

[Jacqui]

I cheated.:o
I have 'Clipper' brand, fairtrade, organic Indian Chai.
Ingredients. Organic tea, organic cinnamon, organic lemon peel, organic cardamom, organic cloves.
It's not bad, not quite as strong as I would like.
I will have to give your recipe a try.:)

[Tigerlily]

Sounds yum.

[alekolu]

Hmm... I'm way too lazy to do the boiling thing, I always just sprinkle tiny bits of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg into my regular black tea and add soymilk. I'll have to try your method, though, it sounds a lot better!

[ConsciousCuisine]

I made 5 gallons of chai for a yoga workshop today!

For those of you not nourishing 20 yoga students during an all-day workshop, I'll break it down to what I did for a smaller amount of chai.

Bring 3/4 gallon water to a boil. Boil water. Reduce heat to medium and add 3 T ground cloves, 1 T black pepper, 2 T ground ginger, 3 T ground nutmeg, 3 T cinamon, 3 T cardamom and a generous pinch of cayenne pepper and simmer for 25 minutes.

Add 8 T black tea, 4 T yerba mate, stir and turn heat up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and cover. Let sit for 25 minutes, then strain. Stir in 3 tsp. each orange and vanilla extract and 64oz. almond or oat milk. Mix in 1/2 c. agave nectar. Place in carafe and enjoy. :)

Really flavorfull, spicy, warming, lightly sweet and very delicious tea.

[Tigerlily]

Wow, I need to get my bum to the bulk store and buy all those spices.

My mom makes me "Arabic" tea sometimes (called shay, which is very close to chai). It's a cinnamon tea made with real tea leaves and lots of sugar. Mmmm. But this chai stuff sounds devine.

Can you make chai green tea?

[herbwormwood]

Chai has many different meanings, but those of us from the uk festival / free party scene will know it as a sweet, warm, milky, spicy tea. The basic recipe is cinamon, cloves, cardamon, ginger, vanilla, black tea, water, milk, sugar - but different people use different things and make up their own blends based on ratios, how long it's steeped for etc.

Before i turned vegan I was buying it places made with soya milk, which seems to be quite accepted amongst omnis as a valid ingrediant for it as opposed to cows milk.

My own recipe changes each time i make it and i generally don't measure things out, but I did this time so i can share it. I have a mug infront of me as i type this and it tastes pretty good. I don't have any cardamon at the moment, so the method i used was as follows:

400ml boiling water in a pan on a medium heat with 1 tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 inch cinamon stick, 2 cm vanilla pod simmered for 15 mins. 1 black tea bag added and stirred for 2 mins then removed. Finally 200ml of soya milk added and bought back to the boil (approx 10 mins).

This can then be left on the stove on a low heat with a lid for however long, then strained into mugs when served and sugar added to taste (i like mine sweet - approx 3 tsp).

Anyone else wanna share any blends? I have been known to add lots of extra cloves before when I've had a toothache, it's very soothing and makes the mouth go numb :D

My neighbours are arabic speaking muslims so I have learned a few words of arabic and one of them is chai! Tea! Chai is arabic for tea, have a look at
http://www.arabicslice.com/chai.html

for the traditional recipe- similar to how my neighbour makes it when she has time. I have also learned how to say coffee, "hi, you" (Salam alieikum), thanks, bread, mango, car, and a few other words!
Personally I use 1 heaped teaspoon of plain organic leaves and half a teapoon of earl grey, I put it in the pot and let it stand 5 minutes and serve with soya milk. I have it every morning with breakfast.

[Mr Flibble]

Yea, as I say it has many meanings in different asian cultures based around the principle of black tea with or without various spiced. In Hindi Chai is the word for spiced tea. The manderin word for tea is prenounced chai and cha is the portuguese word for tea. There's more info on different country's meanings on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chai), but as far as I know the common blend that I use is Indian in origin.

[ConsciousCuisine]

Wow, I need to get my bum to the bulk store and buy all those spices.

My mom makes me "Arabic" tea sometimes (called shay, which is very close to chai). It's a cinnamon tea made with real tea leaves and lots of sugar. Mmmm. But this chai stuff sounds devine.

Can you make chai green tea?
Yes, you can make it with any tea! Green, yerba mate, rooibos and black all turn out delicious in my experience. One of my favorites is rooibos chai! With green you have to take care that is doesn't become bitter though, by steeping in for a controlled period.

[rujoon]

Hehe.. In mandarin tea sound more like "cha" :D

[ConsciousCuisine]

Kombucha is my favorite tea :)

[treehugga]

Treehuggas chai recipe

add to 1 pkt organic black tea

2 teaspoons
nutmeg
fennel seeds
cilantro seeds
licorice
ginger

1 packet
cloves
cardomon pods bashed about to release seeds and flavour

3 cinnamon sticks bashed about or cut into little pieces.

Shake in container and store. Use about 3 teaspoons to a small teapot. Add couple slices fresh ginger.

I've been drinking chai since the 70's when I was a small child and find this original hippy recipe the best.

[oldsilverhead]

Chai Porridge

One and a half cups of vanilla soya milk or sweetened soya milk with a teaspoon of vanilla flavouring added.

A quarter of a teaspoon of salt,cinnamon,ground corriander,ground cardamon and tumeric.

2 teaspoons of maple syrup.

Three quarters of a cup of rolled oats.



Pour milk and spices in a saucepan,whisk and simmer for a couple of minutes.

Add syrup and stir.

Add oats and stir.

Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

oldsilverhead

[Mr Flibble]

there's a picture of my chai cake for anyone interested here (http://food.offline.org.uk/showentry.php?entid=34)

[Jacqui]

As always, your cake looks fabulous!
Question, what is confectioner's sugar? Is it fine sugar?

[treehugga]

there's a picture of my chai cake for anyone interested here (http://food.offline.org.uk/showentry.php?entid=34)

Mr Flibble you have exeeded yourself :) .
I can't wait to try making that delicious looking chai cake ;)

[treehugga]

Chai Ice Cream

1 Litre Coconut Cream
1/2 Cup Sugar Or Enough To Suit Your Taste
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Cup Soy Milk (or Other Substitute) Infused With Chai Tea (as Strong As You Can Get It.

Whip & Freeze Whip& Freeze Whip & Freeze Until Texture Is Right

Or Put In Ice Cream Maker

[Mr Flibble]

Question, what is confectioner's sugar? Is it fine sugar?

Wikipedia Link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confectioner's_sugar)

It's what supposidly the rest of the world calls icing sugar, but obviously not ;)

[oldsilverhead]

Anyone ventured to try my chai porridge(above)yet?

oldsilverhead

[Artichoke47]

How about some excellent Chai rice pudding (low in sugar, too!)

Chai Rice Pudding


Serves 8
Vegetarian Times, February 2006



3 1/2 c. unsweetened soy or other nondairy milk
4 black chai tea bags
1 c. short or medium grain white rice
1/2 c. light brown sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 medium size apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1/4 c. dark raisins
cinnamon for garnish, optional

1. Bring 2 cups water and 1 cup soymilk to a boil in a large saucepan. Remove from heat and add teabags. Cover and steep for 5 min. Remove tea bags, squeezing out any liquid.
2. Stir rice, sugar, and salt into tea mixture. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 min. Add remaining 2 1/2 c. soymilk and simmer, uncovered, 20 min. or until rice is soft. Stir in apple and raisins; remove from heat. Cover pot and let sit 10 min.
3. Spoon pudding into 2-quart heatproof dish. Serve warm or cold, with cinnamon if desired.

[ConsciousCuisine]

Anyone ventured to try my chai porridge(above)yet?

oldsilverhead
Hey! Change your avatar back to your lovely one with short hair!!! ;)

I haven't tried your recipe but I put all those spices except turmeric in breakfast porridge all the time and love it :) I also leave out the maple syrup and just make curried rice and eat it for breakfast too :)

[Jacqui]

Wikipedia Link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confectioner's_sugar)

It's what supposidly the rest of the world calls icing sugar, but obviously not ;)
Thanks, silly me, what else would you ice the cake with.:o
Thought it would be caster or icing sugar but hadn't heard it called confectioners before.

[treehugga]

Anyone ventured to try my chai porridge(above)yet?

oldsilverhead

I'll have to make a point of getting out of my standard porridge comfort zone and give it a go:) .