Warming Chai Tea

Star Anise, Dried Orange Peels, Cloves, Black Peppercorns, and Cardamom Pods

               Extra large cinnamon stick can be used as a stirrer. Double duty!

                   Frigid temperatures in NYC. Nothing like a hot cup of chai :)

I'm not adjusting well to this wintry mess in NYC; negative temperatures, a foot of snow, and high winds. :( I miss basking in the glorious sun and the warm temperatures of South East Asia. So to make the best of my day all couped up in my apartment, I decided to make some homemade chai tea to warm myself up. I remember during my yoga retreat, our wonderful chef de cuisine, Muk, would make us the most amazing homemade chai right before our morning practice. Unfortunately, I never got Muk's chai recipe and have been thinking about recreating it ever since. This is what my rendition of Muk's chai looks like:

Homemade Chai

2-3 star anise pods
3-4 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
2-3 small pieces of ginger, peeled and sliced thinly
2 pieces of dried orange peel
1 teaspoon of black peppercorns
1 teaspoon of cloves
1 black teabag (masala or english breakfast will do)
Agave nectar or honey for sweetness
*Almond milk, soy milk, or any other milk you like.

Makes 1 16-20oz cup

Bring water to a boil. Add ginger, star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, orange peel, peppercorns, and cloves and lower heat to a simmer. Let the spices steep for 5-10 minutes. Turn off the heat completely and add the tea bag. Let the mixture steep for another 5 minutes. Serve hot with any milk you like.

*Note: you can also steep all the spices in your milk of choice. This will produce a more flavorful and robust cup of chai. 

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