CHAI TEA
A REQUIREMENT IN OUR HOUSEHOLD
Brian LOOOOOOOVES Chai tea. He loves it so much that every month he makes a big batch of Chai concentrate so he can have endless chai (until he has to make it again, lol). We've been doing this for months now, and he swears its the reason he hasn't gotten sick since we got married.
He was making it the other day and I took photos.
Scroll down for the photos, and after that his beloved recipe! Don't forget to check out Sharleen's post of the week, and here's Brian's blog.
Cheers!
Here is his recipe:
These are the measurements we used to make a 1/2 gallon (or a full gallon if you want to re-use the spices) of concentrate
24 cardamom pods (gently crushed)
16 black peppercorns
16 cloves
8-inch piece of ginger, cut into smaller pieces.
8 cups water
6 cinnamon sticks
6 whole allspice
4 Tbsp brown sugar
4 star of anise
2/8 tsp nutmeg
2 vanilla beans (or 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. If using extract, add after straining to retain flavor)
8 black tea bags
For the concentrate: Buy the freshest possible spices. Whole spices are better and will yield a more flavorful chai! Add all spices (exclude tea bags) and bring to a boil in a pot on medium-high heat, then let simmer on medium-low and cover for 15 min. Add black tea bags the last 5 min. Pour contents through a strainer and then into a 1/2 gallon container. Usually the spices can be brewed another time to give you another batch of concentrate (although slightly more diluted, just boil a little longer).
To prepare the Chai Tea: Add equal parts milk and concentrate to your mug, heat on the stove or in the microwave. Add sugar or honey to your preference of sweetness!
The concentrate will likely last in your fridge for about a month, although we drink ours so fast it doesn't last that long. We've done really big batches and frozen half, that works well too! Voila! Enjoy!
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